


A Bouquet of Garbage

by TheCursingFae



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst, Angst and Drama, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Chloe Gets Redeemed, Chloe and Marinette are Roommates, Chloe is Sort of a Good Friend, DJWifi, Dating Marinette and Luka, Did I Mention There Was Angst?, Engaged Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Everyone Has Issues, Everyone Needs A Hug, Except Hawkmoth He Can Die, F/M, Hot Mess Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Julerose - Freeform, Lots of Angst, Lukanette, Multi, SADrien, There will be a happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:48:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 79,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25155757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCursingFae/pseuds/TheCursingFae
Summary: Marinette Dupain-Cheng is all grown-up with a promising but frustrating career, a loving but off-balanced relationship, and endless bills to pay. But as she prepares for her best friend's wedding, an unexpected someone from her past emerges that makes her question everything she has believed.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire & Nino Lahiffe, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 122
Kudos: 127





	1. A Trail of Paper Butterflies

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Readers! This is my first time writing/posting fan fiction publicly in many, many years. I'm new to AO3, but I've been a Miraculous fan for 4+ years. I've had this fan fic idea for well over a year and it won't go away, so I decided to write this out. 
> 
> As of posting the first chapter, I've written three chapters ahead. My goal is to update once a week, but this could be subject to change due to working full-time and writing an original novel on the side. 
> 
> None the less, I hope you all enjoy A Bouquet of Garbage!

A mountain of crumpled-up parchment greeted Marinette as she opened her eyes. Dozens of papers were scattered about on her desk, some were completely blank and others were covered in scribbles. As her eyes sharpened their focus, she sluggishly propped herself up and mounted her hands on each side of her head, and dug her elbows into her desk. She glanced down at the design she spent all night and morning pouring her heart into. She had sketched out an asymmetrical dress that flared out at the waist. Tiny butterflies of varying sizes were embroidered into the fabric, and the butterflies trailed down from around the bust to the hem. The dress reminded Marinette of something she would’ve worn to her lyceé formal. Color palette ideas were scribbled beside the design, with the colors orange, black, and blue being specifically noted.

 _It’s getting there!_ Marinette sleepily smiled to herself. _But the colors still look off. Ugh!_ She buried her face into her hands. _Who am I kidding? The palette doesn’t suit the dress at all! I wanted to base this off of a monarch butterfly, but the silhouette doesn’t carry any degree of sophistication._ She thought frantically as she stretched her arms and stared at her crusty white bedroom walls. _Does this even match the other items I designed for the collection? It’s supposed to be for a spring formal-wear line, but I guess I could make this work. But what fabric would I even use? Should I use the baby blue satin Mom gave me for my birthday last year? Or maybe I should go with that fuchsia tulle?_ Marinette lightly tapped herself on the side of the head. _No, no, NO! Mari, that wouldn’t work! This needs to look more mature!_

Then an unwelcomed thought came. _Maybe I should use some green fabric._ Marinette didn’t know where that came from, but she squashed the thought as soon as it came about. She shook her head three times to thoroughly put it out of mind. _No, I mustn’t._ She told herself. _Besides, no one wants to look at green butterflies. Or dark purple ones, for that matter._

She released a long yawn as several more designs trailed off of her desk. The rejected designs flew to the ground like they were paper butterflies, landing alongside several crumpled up paper balls on the wooden floor. She resignedly got down onto the ground and started to pick up her fallen sketches. The intense light seeped through the blinds, and had momentarily blurred her vision.

 _Huh, it’s morning already?_ She asked herself. _Of course it is, Marinette! It’s in the middle of summer! The sun always rises early! But what time is it..._  
Marinette reached for her phone and immediately froze up. “It’s nine-thirty already?!” She cried out. “Crap! I told Alya I'd be there fifteen minutes ago!” Immediately, she rushed to her bed and found her most prized possession: her boyfriend’s hoodie. She picked it up for a moment and smelled it. She sighed happily before she hastily pulled the over-sized garment over her head, and looked at her tiny bedside mirror to smooth out the dark blue bangs of her pixie cut. When that failed, Marinette sighed impatiently and put on a black baseball cap. After throwing on a pair of white tennis shoes and grabbing her purse and sewing bag, Marinette hastily patted herself down. _Keys, phone, purse I should be all set!_ She told herself.

Before Marinette could leave, she stopped in her tracks. “Oh my God, how could I forget?!” She shook her head again as she flew back into her room to grab a large black garment bag. She dipped out so quickly she almost forgot to lock her apartment door. She fled down the stairs, and hastily sprung the door open to burst onto the streets of Paris.

Luckily for her, Alya only lived three blocks away. Getting there by foot would be easy. But it was a long run for Marinette as she clutched at her three bags while hurrying down the sidewalk. As she briefly indulged her anxieties, Marinette heard a cyclist shout at her to get out of their way. She felt the heat of their glare on her back as she sprinted past them. Her feet flopped on the pavement, and she narrowly escaped face planting into an iron street lamp.

When she turned down the street, Marinette rushed to find Alya’s apartment complex. As she was jogging, Marinette eyed a cafe and caught herself smiling. Then she stopped in her tracks. _Shit, I’m going the wrong way!_ She realized. She then spun around, and propelled herself forward. As she turned her head around, in her peripheral version, she spotted a balding man sipping on his latte. Marinette veered to the left, and nearly collided into the man who was now shaking his fist in the distance at her.

 _Thank God I missed bumping into that guy!_ Marinette felt momentary relief before panic set in again. _My life would have been over if his coffee spilled into the bag! There’s no way I could remake the dress before Saturday!_

When she finally reached the entrance of the apartment building, Marinette momentarily paused to let herself catch her breath. Three seconds later, she opened the door to the lobby, and ran down the hall. Once she found Unit 6B, Marinette knocked on the door once, then twice. Before she could knock a third time, the door flew open. Standing in the doorway before her stood her best friend of almost ten years, Alya Cesairé. Alya was tall, curvy, and well-tanned. Her auburn hair was tied back in a messy bun. She held her glasses in one hand, and a cleaning cloth in the other. Today she wore a light blue plaid kimono, a white t-shirt, and light-washed jean shorts.

“Late again?” Alya laughed as she invited Marinette inside. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Marinette, you never change.”

“I’m so s-s-sorry,” Marinette panted. “I stayed....Up...Way too late...” The space was small, but warm and inviting. The walls were painted a rich mustard color, and the hardwood floors were covered with a scarlet Persian rug. A brown sofa sat in front of a wooden television console, and its shelves were full of various video games and DVDs. Several records hung on the walls, and each record had a bookcase below it.

Alya put her glasses back on, and then stared at Marinette’s messy hair, over-sized hoodie, and flower crown alpaca pajama bottoms. “I expected this from you, but good God. Girl, you look like you need some serious caffeine. Do you want some tea?” She offered. “I still have some from the last time you stayed over.”  
Marinette flopped and laid back on the couch. “Please, and thank you.”

Alya nodded and went to go prepare some tea. After heating up some water, she pulled out a packet of loose tea leaves that had Earl Gray listed on the packaging. After a few minutes, Alya grabbed a smiling fox mug, poured some hot water into it, and put the tea leaves into an infuser. She turned around and grinned. “That tea infuser you got me for Christmas last year is _amazing_ , I don’t know what I’d do without it.”

Marinette wearily smiled. “Thanks. I know you don’t use it too often, but I’m glad that you can get something out of it.”

A few minutes had passed, and Alya pulled the tea infuser out of the cup. Marinette sat up as her friend walked over to the sofa and handed her the mug. Marinette took a sip of her tea, swished it around in her mouth, swallowed it, and sighed. “Thank you, Alya. This hits the spot.”

“Not a problem,” Alya grinned. “But anyway, tell me more about your design dilemmas. Why’s it been so hard for you? Usually you’re cranking out designs for him like it's a no-brainer.”

Marinette took another sip of her tea. “Don’t get me wrong, Marcel is wonderful. I enjoy working for him, but it’s really challenging sometimes. He expects me to have ten sketches completed by tomorrow morning, and only nine of them are ready. The last one I had he wanted me to give it butterfly motifs. I don’t know why, but it’s been really hard to come up with something.” She gave Alya an exhausted look. “I stared at monarch butterflies for three hours last night for inspiration, Alya. Three _hours_! God, who even knows if butterflies will be in next spring! It may be like bees, or dragonflies! Or worse...” Marinette made a face. “Centipedes!”

Alya made a face as well. “Gross. Don’t even make me think about that.” She shook her head. “At least everyone is over the whole Ladybug craze.”

Marinette stared at the framed autographed selfie Alya had taken of her and Ladybug from ten years ago. “A huh. _Everyone_ is over Ladybug.”

Alya glanced down at her phone. “Ladybug may be gone from the streets of Paris, but she still lives on in my heart.”

 _And in me, because I was her._ Marinette resigned to herself as she took another sip of tea. _Just no one can ever know that._

“But I get where you’re coming from, Mari,” Alya spoke with a tired smile. “I finally just got out of my funk writing myself.”

Marinette laughed bitterly. “At least you have an excuse, you had to write an article about the production of _wheat flour_.”

Alya rolled her eyes. “Y’know, I thought blogging for an independent environmental awareness company would be more exciting as a first job, but nope! Sometimes I have to write about fucking wheat plants, wheat plants! How do I make something like _that_ interesting?”

Marinette tugged at the sleeves of her hoodie. “And I thought working for a high-profile designer right out of fashion school would be great.”

Alya forced a laugh. “I guess what they say about your twenties is true after all. They’re a giant mess.”  
“I dunno Alya, I’ve always been a mess.”

Alya wrapped an arm around Marinette’s shoulder. “Stop it!”

Marinette set down the mug. “Stop what?”

Alya groaned. “You’re doing the thing again where you’re being overly critical of yourself!”

Marinette glanced down at the floor. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Alya paused for a moment as she intensely stared at her best friend. “Marinette, I know you get stressed out and overwhelmed easily, and that’s okay. But you have to remember to not be so hard on yourself, you’ve got a lot going on right now. Between Marcel’s deadlines and helping me with my wedding, you have a lot to think about. I think you’re stretching yourself too thin.”

Marinette continued to look down at the floor. “Perhaps that’s it...”

“Sorry,” Marinette could see Alya’s head turn away from her. “I didn’t mean to go off on you like that. I’m just concerned. You should go on vacation somewhere with Luka.”

“Maybe,” Marinette replied. “We did talk about leaving the city for a long weekend, but we need to figure out when and how we could do it.” She rubbed her hands together nervously. “Is Nino still asleep?”

Alya shook her head. “Oh, him? He’s been long gone, honey. I told him that I wanted doughnuts from a bakery that’s a twenty minute walk from here. We have at least a half hour before he’s back.”

Marinette giggled. “So I take it that means you’re ready?”

Alya’s eyes suddenly shone with a spurt of energy that Marinette desperately wished was hers. “Uh, yeah! Of course!” She looked down at the bag and placed a hand against the black fabric. “Oh, my, God. I’m so excited! I can’t wait to see what you did this time, Mari!” With a big grin, Alya rushed off towards the back of her apartment and gave Marinette a thumbs up. “I’ll be in my room, I’ll let you know when I’m ready!”

Marinette nodded. “Sounds good!” As Alya slammed her bedroom door, Marinette plopped down onto a stool at the kitchen island. She stared at a fruit bowl for a few moments before she pulled out her phone. She scrolled down through her notifications and checked her “To Do List” for the day.

  * Alya’s final dress fitting -- 9:30



Marinette grinned as she checked out the box to cross it off. _One thing down, let’s see how much more we have left to do!_ She thought determinedly.

  * Complete the dress design for Marcel.



_Ugh, right. That again._ Marinette internally groaned. _Hopefully I can figure out the palette issue tonight. I do not want to pull another all-nighter._

  * Buy Prancing Goblins tickets reminder -- Enter queue tomorrow at 12:00



_Tickets for Prancing Goblins?!_ She anxiously clutched at her baseball cap. _The queue opens for that tomorrow?! Ugh, that’s at noon, and I’ll be at work then! I have to get in! Otherwise I’ll have to buy the tickets for some ludicrous amount of money that I don’t have! And I have no idea what else to do for an anniversary present on short notice!_

Marinette was awoken from her thoughts by the sudden sound of Alya’s excited squealing. “Oh. My. God. Mari, how did you do this?!”

And that was Marinette’s cue to rush down the hall with her sewing bag in hand. She flung the door open to see a giddy Alya awing over her wedding dress in the mirror. It was a creamy sleeveless mermaid gown, and its silhouette tastefully clung to Alya’s curves. The sweetheart neckline plunged downward only slightly to give an edge that the bride-to-be desperately desired. Where the hem of the dress flared out, an organza trailed down to the ground to give a slight train. Some beaded embroidery clung to the bust, and a few fake jewels were added beneath the top layer of moire.

“I can’t believe you did all of this! These additions are perfect!” Alya gushed. “The silhouette, the detailing, the embroidery?! I can’t believe that I love it even more than I did before!” Alya wrapped her arms around Marinette and tightly squeezed her.

Although Marinette could hardly breathe, she wrapped her arms around Alya. “I was only going off of your suggestions...” She spoke shyly.

“Just because I suggested it doesn’t mean it’ll look good,” Alya let go of her friend. “You made the suggestions look good because you have a fantastic artistic vision.”

“Alya, stop it, you’re going to make me cry!” Marinette laughed while pretending to wipe at her eyes. She took another step back and admired her friend in the dress once more. Then it hit her.

It must’ve hit Alya too because she silently stared at herself. Several moments of quietness had passed before Alya spoke up again. “It’s really happening now, huh? The wedding’s happening.”

Marinette nodded. “It’s less than a week away now.” She looked at the dress. “Is there anything else you want me to fix?”

Alya looked down towards the bodice of her dress. “I hate to ask this of you, but could this part be slightly tighter? I’ve lost some weight, and I don’t want to spill out my goods and my tears.”

“Of course.” Marinette reached into her sewing bag, pulled out a tiny pin case, and opened it. She deftly pulled out three pins, and let her hands hover around Alya’s chest. She grabbed the fabric in the middle of the sweetheart neckline, folded it over, and pressed a pin in. “Does this work?”

Alya nodded. “That already feels much better.”

“Sorry, this is probably awkward for you.” Marinette said as she put some pins between her teeth.

“We’ve done this like six times, and now you want to apologize?” Alya chuckled. “Mari, I love you, but you’re really strange sometimes.”

Marinette nodded and continued to work on pinning. As she concentrated on putting everything into place, she felt Alya struggling to not move around. When shse put in two more pins, she looked up and said, “You can breathe now.”

Alya let out a deep sigh. “Wow.”

“Is it too tight?” Marinette asked.

Alya shook her head. “This is fine...” She awkwardly looked to the side. “And uh, there’s no way I’ve said it enough, but uh. Thanks for doing this.”

“You don’t need to tell me that, I know you’re grateful.” Marinette smiled as she took the remaining pins from her mouth and put them into the palm of her hand.  
Alya smirked. “I guess if anything’s come out of your relationship with Luka, you can read people better.”

“I guess,” Marinette shyly smiled. “Sometimes I wish he were better with words, but I can’t complain too much. He’s gotten much better since we started dating.”

“Too friggin’ real.” Alya remarked. “I still remember that time when he played a song to describe his feelings _before_ he had a difficult conversation with you.”

“Sometimes music is what comes easiest for him,” Marinette defended her man. “But I do appreciate him trying harder. But of course, I’ve been working on things as well, so he can’t take all the credit.”

Alya groaned. “God, we’re really adults now, huh?”

“Alya, we crossed that bridge when we got excited about buying new blenders.”

“But that model pulses so well--” Alya caught herself and shook her head. “Okay, you win that one.” She paused for a moment. “God, I wonder what our friends from collegé will think of us at the wedding. I’m sure Kim will Nino a lot of shit like before.”

“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Marinette pictured her old classmates and each of their smiling faces in her head. “It will be wonderful to see everyone again. I can't believe you and Nino invited our entire graduating class from Collège Françoise Dupont.”

Alya laughed awkwardly. “Well, _almost_ everyone.”

Marinette's lips rose in a snarl and she clenched her teeth. Her nose flared, and a deep, tight pressure formed in her chest. “Yeah... Almost everyone.”

Alya shrugged. “It’s a shame Lila's in prison, but no one should be surprised.”

Marinette snorted. “I just can’t believe it’s only been two years since she’s been behind bars.” _Should’ve been sooner._ She added to herself.

“Yeah, but forget her fake ass.” Alya asserted. “But I invited everyone because we all were so close back then. With all those crazy Akuma attacks, they brought us all closer together. Even though we’ve all drifted apart over time, I’m just glad everyone still keeps in touch. Ivan and Mylene told me they were able to make it last minute, so everyone should be there. But even if something happens, I know Nino and I will have a great day!”

Marinette smiled as she thought of Nino. She had known the groom-to-be even longer than Alya, and always appreciated his friendship. When Alya and Nino first started dating, Marinette immediately approved of the relationship. _He always was a good fit for her, and her for him, even when we were just kids._ She thought. _I’m so happy they managed to stay and grow together as adults._ “So how’s Nino been doing? What’s he done to help you out for the wedding?”

Alya took a deep breath. “About that. I need your opinion on something.”

Marinette frowned as she pinched more fabric together between her nails. “What’s going on?”

“So you know how he's been wanting to DJ _our_ wedding?” Alya began.

Marinette momentarily lost her grip on the fabric, and looked up at her friend. “R-Really?”

“ _Really_ ,” Alya said bitterly. She paused for a moment before continuing, “Okay, so, you know how Nino has that friend Hayden and how they asked Nino to go into business with them?”

Marinette nodded as she found her spot again. "Yeah, they wanted to start a DJing company together.”

Alya smiled for a brief moment before her expression shifted back to annoyance. “So, I want to make it clear that while I’m super happy for them and I support their business, I’m not thrilled about Nino wanting to debut it at our wedding.”

“Are you serious?” Marinette’s voice rose to a trill as she stuck the final pin into Alya’s bust. “I can’t believe this.”

“You and me both,” Alya spoke dryly. “He says it’d be cheaper since he could just set up his equipment beforehand. And I guess he’s not wrong, promoting your business costs a lot of money. I’ve helped them make some ads and social media pages, and that’s cut down their expenses a lot, but this still costs money. But Nino and Hayden think they won’t have to spend nearly as much on ads now if they promote the business through the wedding.”

“So are you upset about him using your wedding to promote his business?” Marinette asked.

“Well, of course, but that’s not the bigger issue.” Alya became unusually solemn. “I love Nino to death, but sometimes I’m worried that he doesn’t think things through.”

Marinette nodded. _He really is too lax for his own good sometimes._ She thought in reference to her long-time friend.

“I’ve always enjoyed how spontaneous and easy our relationship is, but now that we’re getting married, our expenses will only increase as we get older. Sometimes he’s way too laidback, and I’m worried that he doesn’t understand that his decisions won’t just affect him anymore.” Alya looked over at Marinette. “I’m scared that he’s rushing the launch because debuting a business at our wedding sounds ‘cool’. Does that make any sense?”

“Yeah, it does.” Marinette put her pin case aside and sat down on the bed. “You care about Nino and his dreams, but you don’t want them to destroy him.”

Alya walked over to the bed to join Marinette. “Exactly! Like, I know how much being with me and being a DJ mean to him. If something went wrong, I...” Alya trailed off and took a deep breath. “I wouldn’t know what to do for him.”

Marinette gently placed a hand on Alya’s shoulder. “I’m sorry you’re going through this, Alya.”

“It’s not something I’m going through,” Alya corrected. “It’s more like I’m just worried because I care, and it’s just amplifying my anxiety about the wedding.”

“Yeah...” Marinette stared at the floor. “I get that. You’re allowed to be worried about him. But have you talked to him about this at all?”

“I tried to the other day,” Alya answered as she tugged up the bodice on her dress. “But then he shut down on me and thought I didn’t believe in him.”

 _Well thank goodness Hawkmoth wasn’t around to make a mess out of that._ Marinette commented to herself. “Okay, that tells me everything I need to know.” She looked back over at Alya. “Nino wants to DJ his wedding because to him, it’s the perfect time to bring together two important parts of his life: His dream girl, and his dream job.” When she saw Alya roll her eyes, Marinette giggled and continued. “Many of our friends are young, and some of them are thinking about getting married themselves. I think he just wants the best of both worlds.”

“Would it bother you if Luka tried that?” Alya asked.

Marinette shook her head within a heartbeat. “Plenty of musicians perform some songs at their weddings. If we got married and he wanted to do that, I’d be okay with it. But your situation is different. I do think that Nino’s being overambitious with all this, and it’s putting more stress on him than what he really needs.” Marinette thought for a moment. “Wait. Have you asked if Hayden could DJ instead?”

Alya facepalmed. “Oh my God, that was such an obvious solution! Duh!” She laughed at herself. “That makes way more sense, why didn’t I see that before? If we did that, Nino wouldn’t feel as stressed, and he can still get business exposure! That’s perfect!” Her friend’s face light up into a giant smile. “Thank you so much Mari, you’re the best!”

“Of course,” Marinette smiled. “I’m always happy to help.”

Alya laughed and stretched her arms. “Anyway, I think we’re good here. I’m gonna change.”

“And I’ll go wash out the mug,” Marinette said as she walked out of the room. “Just put the dress back into the bag, and carry it out once you’re done.”

Alya nodded before she shut the door. Marinette walked back out into the living area, grabbed the fox mug, and carried over to the sink. She replayed the conversation in her mind as she dumped the tea into the sink. _If we got married... Luka and I, married? Is that even on the table?_ Marinette wondered as she scrubbed the remaining tea leaves. _We’ve been dating for almost three years, and we don’t even live together---But that’s my own fault because I wasn’t ready to live with him when I moved out._ She shook her head as she set the mug down. _But that’s not the problem! Does Luka want to get married? He always becomes standoffish whenever marriage is brought up. And do I want to get married-- Why am I even asking myself that?! Of course I want to marry him! Helping Alya with her wedding keeps making me think about my own! But..._ Her thoughts trailed off. _Why waste my time worrying if that’s something_ he _doesn’t want?_

After a few more minutes of worrying about her nonexistent wedding, Marinette was joined again by Alya who was done changing. She handed the black bag to Marinette along with the rest of the sewing supplies. Alya went into the fridge, grabbed an apple, and chomped into it. “Did you eat breakfast yet?” She asked. Marinette shook her head. Alya went back into the fridge and tossed her an apple. “Eat up, girl. I can’t have my maid of honor dying of starvation on me.”

She was about to thank Alya when they were interrupted by the jingling of keys. Nino burst into the room with a half-crumpled doughnut box. His face was pale, and behind his aviator glasses, his eyes were wide with shock. “Dude! Alya, Marinette! Have you been watching the news?” He asked as he locked the apartment door behind him. “Some insane news just dropped!”

Alya almost flinched at her fiancé’s unusually unraveled demeanor. “What happened?” She asked.

“It’s Gabriel Agreste, man!” Nino exclaimed as he wiped his feet on the welcome mat. “He’s dying!”


	2. A Single Holey Sock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette, Nino, and Alya discuss the recent headline and each have their own complicated feelings about it. Marinette goes home and overhears an odd phone conversation between Chloe and an unknown person.

Marinette dropped her phone, and barely heard the screen cracking. In her shock, she watched Nino turn on the television and maneuver between the channels. Soon enough, he landed on TVi. There was a live shot of Nadja Chamack standing in front of the Agreste mansion. While her expression remained neutral, Nadja's panicked eyes and the white knuckle clutch on her microphone betrayed her. 

“Gabriel Agreste, the former head of  _ Gabriel  _ fashion line, was just moments ago found unresponsive at home. His secretary and wife, Nathalie Agreste, found him and rushed him to an undisclosed hospital. While we have little information at this time, we will do our best to update you as we confirm more details.” 

As Nadja’s live stream switched over to the live anchors, imaginary cotton balls began to fill Marinette’s mouth. Silence and tension filled the room as everyone stared at the television screen in disbelief. Finally, after several minutes, Marinette dryly sounded out, “Is Gabriel dying?” 

“Sounds like it.” Alya pulled at her hair. “How did no one know his health was shit?! This is huge!” 

Nino gently patted his fiancé on the shoulder. “There, there, Al. As you just said, no one knew about this.”

“But how?” Alya’s brow burrowed itself into her mole as she got lost in thought. “How did this not get leaked?! Even though he’s declined interview after interview since he retired, you’d think at least something would've been shared to the press!” 

“The only time we’ve heard of him leaving his house was when he went to visit his nephew last fall.” Marinette spoke softly.

Alya nodded. “So then how the  _ hell  _ did this get leaked? Do we even know if this is legit?” 

“It’s definitely not a hoax, my dudes,” Nino yanked out his phone to show Alya his screen. “Nadja’s team got tipped off by some teen making TikToks, of all things. I guess she was nearby the mansion and saw what was happening. So then, y'know, she started live streaming the ambulance coming by over Instagram. The Internet’s already on it, and people have already confirmed it was Gabriel. I saw the pics too, man. He totally looked like he was a breathing corpse. It was super freaky.” He handed his phone over to Alya as he looked over at Marinette apologetically. “I’m sorry Marinette, I know you used to look up to him a lot.”

“Yeah...I did,” Marinette spoke with a pained, wistful smile. “He was very talented. Even though times have changed, I still catch myself looking at his stuff from time to time.” She glanced down at her hands, and her vision went out of focus. _ And then he quit. _

For a while, Marinette drifted in and out of conversation as she struggled to process the news. Half-listening, she thought she heard Alya say, “Marinette, I can’t find the article you referenced from earlier. Did he look healthy in the picture?”

  
“Now that I think about it, he looked thinner than he did previously,” Marinette answered. “And paler too. But this was back in October. So it could be that he was sick then, but he was trying to hide it.”

Even though her eyes were out of focus, Marinette thought she saw Nino’s posture stiffen. “I dunno, dudes. His first wife was pretty sick too.” 

Alya frowned. “I wonder if Hawkmoth cursed him or something.”

The name Hawkmoth was enough to snap Marinette back into reality. Her chest tightened and her teeth clenched. A cough or three escaped from Marinette’s lips, and she covered her mouth with the over-sized hoodie’s sleeve. “M-Maybe? That’s totally a possibility!” She spoke as her eyes shifted back-and-forth. “That’s a super BIG possibility! Or maybe, it was just a stroke of bad luck and misfortune! I mean, successful people face tragedies all the time! It's totally normal!” 

Alya shrugged. “Studies have shown that your attitude makes a difference in your prognosis and recovery. And given that he lost almost everyone dear to him, no wonder he was so beaten down. Especially with what happened with Adrien.”

_ Adrien.  _ Marinette couldn’t remember the last time she heard that name. As if her stomach were a cauldron, a strong venom bubbled inside of her. She wanted to vomit profusely in disgust. Tears stung her eyes, and she fought to keep her expression neutral.

It didn’t take long for Alya to regret what she said. Nino’s brown eyed-stare had hardened with a deep sadness. “Why did you mention  _ that _ name.” He spoke in a detached, aloof voice. 

Alya flinched from his sudden coldness. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that saying that name would bother you.” 

He blinked and his shoulders hunched over. He retreated to the couch and buried his face in his hands. “Sorry, Al.” Nino rubbed at his eyes. “I really don’t get it, man. Why does hearing that name work me up so much? It’s been so long since that happened, but...”

Alya wrapped an arm around Nino. “It still hurts, doesn’t it?” 

“Yeah.” Nino hung his head. “Regardless, I just can't help but think... That's his dad on the screen. I dunno what happened between them, or if he's still even in the country... Does he even know?" 

For a moment, silence scattered through the air. Uneasily, Alya cleared her throat and said, “This is big news though, regardless.” She looked back down at Nino’s phone. “Hashtag GabrielAgreste is trending on Twitter for the first time in years. I’m sure that’ll get his son’s attention, wherever he is.”

Marinette nodded, and looked at her own phone to scroll through her Twitter feed. And then she saw the time. “Crap, it’s 10:49! I should go home. I have some, umm, stuff to take care of!” Marinette looked over at Alya. “Do you need me to take that back?”

Alya nodded. “Probably for the best.” 

Nino for the first time looked over at the black garment bag. “What’s in there?” He asked.

  
“Nonononono!” Marinette blurted out. “It’s not what you think it is, Nino!” She struggled to think of a good excuse on the spot as she gathered her belongings. “It’s-It’s a new design I’m working on! I wanted to show Alya because I was super proud of it.” 

“Really, nice!” Nino grinned. “Can I see it?” 

Marinette’s face turned red. “You shouldn’t! It’s lingerie!” 

Nino's grin grew wider as he looked over at Alya. “Then I  _ definitely _ need to see it. I’ll close the curtains so Alya can model for us.”

“Whoa there, dude,” Alya pinched Nino’s cheek. “What Marinette designed wasn’t for me.” Alya narrowed her eyes in mischief as she eyed up Marinette. “It was designed for women built like  _ her _ .”

Nino’s face turned red. “Please forget I ever said anything.” 

Marinette nodded and rushed over to the door. “I-I’ll see you two later! Byeee!” And with that, she rushed out of the apartment building and scurried down the street back to her own apartment. 

_It’s been a while since I’ve had to lie like that._ Marinette thought as she carried her bags home. _Okay, I had to do that yesterday to Luka so he didn’t find out about his anniversary present plans, but still! Everyone has secrets. God, imagine if they knew I was Ladybug._ _That would make so many people mad. Alya wouldn't talk to me anymore, Nino would be super awkward, I don't even want to think about Luka's reaction, and then... There's Chloe._ She pictured the blond woman and could hear her shout her “utterly ridiculous” catchphrase before locking herself in her room for days to follow. Marinette shook her head. _For as long as we’re roommates, she definitely can’t find that out._

As she buzzed herself back into her apartment building, Marinette hauled her baggage up the stairs. She cursed under her breath, “Why did I have to choose an apartment on the second floor... And be ridiculously tired today...” When she was finally up the stairs, Marinette dug around in her pockets for her apartment key.  _ I wonder if Chloe is back from work yet, _ She thought as she jiggled the key into the hole.  _ She said she had to cover for someone today, but would be free in the evening. Maybe she’d look at the design with me? _ She laughed to herself.  _ Who would’ve thought that I would ask _ her _for help?_ _ Times really have changed, huh...  _

When she entered her apartment, Marinette heard a voice coming from the kitchen.  _ Chloe must be on the phone with someone, _ She guessed. She walked over into her room to put her purse and sewing bag down. Marinette looked into her closet and gently hung the black garment bag’s hanger over the door. As she knelt down onto the ground to pick up the remaining paper balls, Marinette concentrated on tidying her room. 

“What are you so worried about!? Like, haven’t you forgotten I’m doing you a giant favor?” Chloe shouted. “You're coming here for a funeral, I’m offering you a place to stay! And you know it'd be so utterly ridiculous to not make this offer! I can’t get turnt with my friends while you’re all sad!” Chloe groaned in between a brief pause. “Look. I’m sorry, I know I don’t really get what you’re going through, but I also know it’s not good to dwell on things for too long. You gotta let loose, and do something that makes you happy!”

_ Who is she talking to? _ Marinette shot paper balls into her trash can.  _ I was under the impression she didn’t have many friends.  _ She got up off of the floor, crept back into the living room, and pretended to look around for a magazine. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Chloe’s tense body language. The blond had her hair tied back in a ponytail, and her work uniform covered in coffee stains and whipped cream. 

There was a pause and Chloe groaned. “How many times do I have to tell you?! It will be fine! Everyone will be happy to see that you’re okay! I know it’ll definitely make some people uncomfortable, but that doesn’t matter! You  _ need  _ to be around people right now." There was another pause and Chloe sighed aggravatedly. "Just leave everything to me, okay? I promise I’ll make this work.” After one final pause, Chloe added, “Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow night. Bye.”

Almost as if on cue, Marinette got up from the sofa and walked into the kitchen. She flung the fridge door open, and reached for a cup of strawberry yogurt. As she opened it, Marinette sat down at the tiny wooden dining table. “So... What was that about?”

Chloe jumped so high that Marinette thought her ponytail would’ve hit the ceiling. “That, oh that!” Chloe spoke quickly. “That wasn’t anyone you know, Mari.  _ Totally  _ not important.” She looked down to inspect Marinette’s appearance, and her eyes focused on the flower crown alpaca pajama bottoms. “You know you went out in your pajamas, right?”

“Yeah, and I really don’t care about that.” Marinette eyed the other woman suspiciously while licking her yogurt lid. “I heard you mention the wedding to someone. What was that about?”

Chloe hung her head resignedly as she went over to the sink. “Okay, how much did you hear?”

“Nothing big, just that you’re letting people stay over without my permission, again.” Marinette crossed her arms. “Are you offering our couch to that weird coworker of yours? Because you know damn well he’s not allowed back after I caught him snorting something in the bathroom.” 

“Ugh, no!” Chloe made a face as she scrubbed a plate. “You know I wouldn’t put you through that, Marinette.” She paused for a moment, before quietly speaking up again, “So do you remember how I needed to tell you something last night, and you told me we’d talk about it tomorrow?”

“Yeah?” Marinette asked as she put a spoonful of yogurt into her mouth.

“Do you remember my friend Justin, the guy who’s from Paris but went to college overseas to study film?” Chloe turned on the faucet to help get the previous evening’s gravy off of the plate. 

Marinette shook her head. “Vaguely.”

“So he called me yesterday and told me his dad died.” Chloe explained while biting her lip. “Just now he called me to say that he’s coming back for the funeral. However, Justin’s other relatives are flying in from other parts of Europe, so he doesn’t have a place to stay. In the heat of the moment, I maaaay have offered him our couch...” 

Marinette almost dropped her spoon. “So you invited him to stay with us so he can be here for his dad’s funeral?” 

Chloe awkwardly looked down at the hot soapy water. “Well, yeah.” 

“Why didn’t you just say so?” Marinette asked. “Chloe, I don't mind that at all.” 

“Well...” Chloe’s face reddened sheepishly. “I hope you don’t mind, but he's also going as my wedding date.” 

Marinette shrugged and ate another bite of yogurt. “Okay? Why would that bother me?” 

“I don’t wanna leave him by himself.” Chloe said. “Do you remember how I was when my Mom kicked me out and Daddy wouldn’t take me back?”

“How could I forget?” Marinette stared at her empty yogurt container. “It was everything I could’ve wanted to happen to you when we were kids.”

“And I deserved all of that.” Chloe pulled the plate out of the hot water, and began drying it with a nearby towel. “I was horrible to you and so many other people for years for years. The fact that you’re letting me live-

“ _ Share _ ,” Marinette corrected.

“ _ Share _ an apartment with you, let alone talk to me, is more than I deserve.” Chloe put the plate away. “After you’ve shown me that same kindness, it makes me want to pay it forward.” 

Marinette’s chest swelled up with pride. “Aww, Chloe! You really do have a heart.”

“S-S-Shut up, Dupain-Cheng,” Chloe’s cheeks flushed red as she looked away. “It’s weird enough I feel this way. I’m not used to being ‘nice’, or being called a good friend. It makes me feel utterly ridiculous.”

“Just because it doesn’t feel natural now, doesn’t mean it never will.” Marinette rinsed her spoon in the sink. “When you’re new to something, it’s hard to get the hang of it. But once you do it enough, in time it should become as easy as breathing.”

Chloe stared at Marinette in disbelief. “So you really think I can be a nice person?” 

“I said you have a heart, Chloe, not that you’re a saint.” Marinette corrected. “Anyone can be nice if they want to be. But to be genuinely nice, you have to do things for others without expecting anything in return.” 

“Well, shit.” Chloe looked down at the dirty silverware. “Then I got ways to go.” 

“You grew up as the mayor of Paris’ daughter, you’re not fixing those feelings of entitlement overnight.” Marinette pointed out.

“But I’ve lived with you for a year and a half now!” Chloe’s frustrated voice was so loud that Marinette thought it could blow a hole through the ceiling. “Shouldn’t these feelings go away?” 

Marinette quietly hushed Chloe and paused for a few moments. “I don’t know.” She spoke gently. “I’m not a therapist, but that’s a good question for you to ask yours. What I do know is that if you choose to not act on those negative feelings, it has to mean you’re doing better.” 

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?” Chloe asked sarcastically.

“Well, yeah.” Marinette shrugged. “I don’t know what else it’d be.” 

Chloe rolled her eyes. “Is this the part in the conversation where we’re supposed to hug or something?”

Marinette snorted. “Oh God no, that’s not happening.” 

Chloe sighed in relief, and her nose wrinkled in disgust. “Oh thank God, that would be the worst thing ever.” 

“Totally.” Marinette agreed. In an effort to change the subject, she asked, “So when is Justin coming?”

Even with the subject change, for some reason Chloe still looked uncomfortable. “Tomorrow evening, provided his flight doesn’t get delayed." She answered in an uncharacteristically low voice. "He has a layover in London, and you know how much it rains like crazy there.”

Marinette nodded. “Got it, got it.” She sniffed the armpits of the over-sized hoodie. “Do you mind if I grab a shower?”

“Go for it,” Chloe said. “I have to finish the dishes.” 

“Thank you,” Marinette said. As she left the room, she turned around on her heel and looked back at Chloe. “Oh, and if you need me to leave the apartment during that time, I can go stay with Luka.” 

“Oh God please, we don’t have that type of relationship.” Chloe rolled her eyes again. “As far as Justin is concerned, he’s like a brother to me.”

“Are you sure?” Marinette teased. “Because that’s what Juleka and Rose said before they drunkenly made out at Max’s birthday party last year.” 

“That they see each other as their brothers?” Chloe repeated.

Marinette sighed. “Okay, I’m leaving now. Have fun with your soapy dish water.”

“And  _ you _ have fun with your soapy bitch water.” Chloe retorted.

Marinette rolled her eyes and went back into her room. As she dug into her dresser for clothes, a detail from Chloe’s phone call resurfaced in her memory.  _ What did she mean by ‘these people were your friends?’ _ Marinette wondered.  _ Justin didn’t go to school with us, did he? No, I would’ve remembered Chloe fawning over him if he’s someone from her social stature. But why does it feel like something is off here? _

Marinette stared at a single polka dot sock at the bottom of her dresser, and saw the deep hole in it. She took it out, and flung the sock into her garbage can.  _ No, I’m totally overthinking this.  _ She told herself. 

Yet, despite her own reservations, Marinette was unable to shake the anxious feeling that something was terribly off. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies! Thank you for making it to the end of Chapter 2. Due to working full-time and juggling other projects, I'm going to try to update once a week every Wednesday morning! If something comes up, I'll try to post about it on my tumblr page. If you haven't followed me there, my tag is @thecursingfae. I'll try to make my own Twitter and other pages soon, so please be on the look out for those updates. If you have any feedback or questions about the story, please feel free to shoot me a DM on there, and I'll do my best to get back to you within the day!


	3. A Half-Used Napkin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette goes to work and has a conversation with her boss.

Two cups of black tea weren’t nearly enough to get through Monday morning. Marinette stared down at her desk, eying the portfolio that she had hastily put together the night prior. She pulled out her pocket mirror from her purse, and noticed the dark shadows under her glassy eyes.  _ Damn it!  _ She cursed at herself.  _ I should’ve used some concealer this morning!  _ She sighed resignedly, and looked down at her purse and saw that she had left the tube at home. 

Marinette looked around in the tiny room that was her office. Plastered onto the walls was some red deco with minimalist artwork that somehow matched the white-and-black linoleum tile. Usually, there were two occupants in her office. But recently, Marinette’s colleague Amy had gone on maternity leave. She glanced down at her white iron desk, and picked up her tea mug and took a long sip. She eyed her drawing tablet, and sighed, again. Marcel recently had gotten her to do more digital work. She had done some through her fashion school assignments, but it just didn’t feel right to her. The feeling of her sketchbook’s parchment against her tiny hands was oddly comforting for Marinette. It provided her a sense of relief and helped clear away her mind clutter. Marcel did admit the purpose of digital work was to make global collaborations more seamless. While she understood that from a logical standpoint, she was still allowed to think about it disdainfully.

As she took more sips of her tea, she heard the door open. Immediately, Marinette knew who it was. If it weren’t the powerful scent of his sandalwood-and-orange cologne, regardless she would’ve felt her boss’ presence. While Marcel Choquet was barely taller than Marinette, she’s suspected that he put shoe lifts in his wingtips. Marcel looked young enough to be mistaken as Marinette’s brother, but was actually in his mid-forties. He had a round belly, but had a warm, jolly expression on his clean-shaven face. 

“Good morning Marinette!” Marcel cheered as he walked over to her desk. 

“Good morning, Marcel,” Marinette answered wearily. Marcel’s eyebrows furrowed as he inspected her appearance. Marinette frowned. “Please don’t tell me I didn’t wear my pajama shorts out again.” 

“No, you didn’t,” Marcel said reassuringly. “But your shirt is a little crumpled.” Immediately, her hands instinctively rushed towards her top and tried fanning out the creases. Marcel crossed his arms. “Are you having sleeping troubles again?”

Her eyes involuntarily gave away her inner panicking. “N-N-No sir! Not at all!” 

“I’ll take that bold-faced lie as a yes.” Marcel pulled up a chair from another desk, sat down, and faced Marinette. “Anyway, am I able to see your designs?”

Marinette nodded, and wearily handed over her portfolio binder to Marcel. She watched his chestnut-haired head reach into his pocket to pull out his tortoiseshell glasses. He flipped open the binder and turned to the final design’s page to inspect it. “Woah!” He exclaimed as his trademark grin blossomed onto his face. “Marinette, I love the dress’ silhouette! And the butterfly detailing and embroidery! It looks fantastic! This may be one of your best designs yet. It looks, dare I say, charming with a side of ravishing.” 

Marinette chuckled. “Really? You like it?”

“I do, I do very much!” Marcel gave her a thumbs up. “I like the materials you have noted in the design margins. I like how you made the dress backless with a few wing-like details towards the opening of it. However, there  _ is  _ one problem.” Marcel raised a finger and tapped it against the color palette. “How late were you up last night to think that  _ this _ shade of brown would be good with  _ that  _ orange?” 

Marinette hung her head. “Late enough.” 

Marcel thoughtfully paused. “Maybe if you used a more saturated hue of either color, it could work. But my God. Marinette, you’re a prodigal genius, but even you scare me sometimes.” Marcel adjusted his glasses once more as he inspected the design further. After what felt like hours, he put the portfolio away and set it beside Marinette’s desk. “You know what? Would you mind coming back to me to my office for a minute?”

She swallowed her breath. “Y-Yeah, sure... Do I need to bring anything?” 

He shook his head. “No, not at all. I just want to have a private conversation with you.” 

_ We already are, we’re in _ my _ office. _ Marinette wanted to say but held back her tongue. Nonetheless, she complied. She got up from her chair, and followed Marcel out of the room. Choquet Creations didn’t have the largest headquarters, but they had several large boardrooms for international client meetings. Of course, Marcel employed people from all over Europe, and they could dial into the in-person meetings they had. The boardrooms and other offices were quite grand, but Marcel’s office was another story.

Marinette rarely went there, but when she did she always had to take a moment to take everything in. While the rest of Marcel’s office looked very professional and clean, his personal touches and quirks were placed everywhere. The walls were plastered with Chinese proverbs and photos from his travels to eastern Asia. A collection of fountain ink pens hung on the back wall. Below the ink pen collection, there was a giant window that displayed a spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower.   
Marcel moved behind his desk, but continued standing. “Please sit down, Marinette.” He directed. Marinette sat on the other side of the desk, and folded her hands into her lap. He looked out the window and said, “This isn’t easy for me to say, but I’m concerned with your work performance.”

Marinette hung her head and blinked back tears, “I-I understand, sir. Lately I’ve been careless, and my work is subpar compared to last year. I know I can be better,-”

Marcel immediately spun around, his expression agape with shock. “No, no, no! Heavens no, Marinette! I’m not going to fire you at all. I should’ve started this conversation differently.” His shook his head. “You’ve been wonderful! You’re one of the hardest working employees I’ve ever had.” 

Immediately, she fought tears again for a different reason. “S-So, what’s wrong with me?”

“ _ Cherie _ , nothing is wrong with you.” Marcel turned around to face her. “Besides your work ethic, you’re extremely talented. Both are very admirable qualities to have in our industries. Someday, I’m sure you’ll become my biggest rival.”

“Y-You think that?” She spoke in a small voice.

“I don’t think it, I  _ know _ it,” Marcel spoke confidently. “But, I’d hate to see you crash and burn before it’s really your time to shine.” He paused for a moment. “It really does you no good to be continuously stressed by work. You’ll eventually burn out, and work yourself to death, or give yourself a mental breakdown.”

“So what are you saying?” Her brain jumped into overdrive as she mentally prepared herself.

“Am I working you too hard?” 

Out of all the ten thousand scenarios Marinette had imagined in five seconds, she didn’t know to respond to that one. As if her mind was being blown up like a balloon, her brain exploded.  _ Is this really happening? _ She slowly thought to herself. “I...I’m not sure.” She forced out an answer.

Marcel slipped into his chair, his expression softening as he stared at her. “Just say yes, Marinette. You have the floor, don’t hold back what you’re feeling.” 

She blinked a few times in disbelief as she gathered her thoughts. “I...” She began slowly. “ I know you chose to keep me on after my internship last year. AndI’m super duper super grateful! But sometimes, I feel like I should work harder so I can earn my keep.”  
“You’ve worked here for a while now, and in that time I can assure you’ve more than done that.” Marcel smiled. 

“I know, but...” She trailed off. “I can’t help but feel like I should be doing more. Like, instead of making ten designs, make twelve! And I genuinely think I can do it, but then somehow, I fall short.” 

Marcel grabbed his coffee mug off his desk, took several long sips, and gently set it back down on his Ladybug coaster. “I think I get it.” He took off his glasses and placed them on his desk. “So, I’ve read up on your generation. Apparently, many people your age have developed what they call ‘Imposter’s Syndrome.’” 

Marinette involuntarily found herself zoning out during Marcel’s speech, because it wouldn’t be the first time someone told her that this week. A few seconds or minutes later, she wasn’t sure, but zoned back into the conversation. “...You need to believe what you are doing is enough.” Marcel said. “And not for me, your friends, or any of the other important people in your life. You need to do it for yourself.” 

_ Believe it’s enough?  _ Marinette wanted to say aloud. _ Even after what happened with Hawkmoth and Chat Noir? _ “I wish it was that simple.” She spoke with melancholic undertones. 

“That’s the thing about adulthood, it never is.” Marcel spoke solemnly. “The older you get, the more complicated and interwoven everything becomes. Let me give you an example. When I first became an independent designer and had met Gabriel, I didn’t see him as his own person.I only saw him as another obstacle to overcome for my dream. But now, with the recent news, I see my mindset was very, very wrong.” Marcel picked up his mug again and took another sip of coffee. “When I found out he was retiring, I was aghast. I thought, ‘How could this happen? This was his dream, wasn’t it? Why is he giving up on it so easily?’ But with as much speculation as there is, no one ever knew the truth. And then a new CEO was hired, and then the company gradually started to fall apart.” 

_ And then  _ we  _ came into power. _ Marinette finished silently.

“But I digress. The point I’m trying to make is that despite me seeing Gabriel as a competitor, he’s just another person. He had a dream, and he chased it, and he did it well. But then he stopped. I wonder if it had to do with his son...” Marcel looked back at Marinette. “Didn’t you go to school with him?”

Marinette squirmed on the chair uncomfortably. “Yes, in  lycée . I...We... Used to be friends.”

“Oh.” Marcel immediately went quiet. “Sorry, I didn’t know. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No, it’s fine...” Marinette said as one of her eyes twitched. “It’s just complicated.” 

“I’m sure it is for you, but more so for Gabriel.” Marcel paused. “Gabriel was closed off to everyone, so his wife and son were all that he had. When Emile disappeared, he faded fast. But whenever that stuff went down with Aiden, it destroyed him.”

_ His name is Adrien, _ Marinette almost blurted out. 

“But anyway, I guess the point of this is that you shouldn’t put your eggs in one basket. You should spread your efforts out equally, and work hard in all areas, not funnel your efforts into just one.” He paused for a moment. “At any rate, didn’t you mention you and your boyfriend’s anniversary was this week?”

Marinette nodded. “It’s on Thursday.”

“I know you had that off, and then the rest of the week for your friend’s wedding, but would you want to take the rest of the week off?”  
Marinette frowned. “But I’d be using more of my vacation days.”  
“ _Cherie_ , do I need to repeat myself?” Marcel crossed his arms. “Must I remind you haven’t taken any time off since _Christmas_ , and it's now the middle of July. Take some time to yourself, get some personal projects done. You won’t be doing anyone any favors if you get sick or worse.” 

Marinette awkwardly looked into her lap. “Are you sure?”

Marcel nodded. “I’m positive. Please, I don’t want a repeat of the bad chowder incident.”

She grimaced at the reminder of that awful memory. “Yeah... You, me, and Luka both.” She looked back up at Marcel and asked, “Is there anything else?”

Marcel shook his head. “That was it, for now. Please carry on with your day, and get that new color palette done.”

“Will do,” Marinette said as she got up from her chair. “And umm...Thank you again, Marcel.”

He awkwardly chuckled. “Not a problem, Marinette. Please take it easier today.”

As Marinette left the room, her mind sank into a deep confusion.  _ If I’m being awarded for working hard, then why do I feel like I’m being punished? _ She wondered. She trudged back to her office, and her head became lighter, and lighter. Her eyesight started to fade out into white. Marinette, even in her panic, fought hard to calm herself down.  _ This is so silly! Marcel said I was one of his most hardworking employees. He just wants me to take time off so I can rest. That’s all! That’s it! I did enough, and he recognized that! I did nothing wrong. I  _ know _ I did nothing wrong! I got the recognition that I wanted! But why is this horrible feeling still there? _

She pulled at her short, dark hair again before sluggishly making her way back into her office space and closing the door. She sunk back into her chair, and exhaled. Marinette tilted the chair back and took a long, deep breath. Then another, and another after that. After a few minutes, she leaned back forward and opened up the portfolio on her desk. She flipped open to the final design, and stared down at it in its protective lining.

_ What colors should I change?  _ She wondered.  _ Marcel didn’t tell me what I was supposed to do, so I guess I have free reign. _ She pondered for a moment more before logging into her computer and booting up her art program. After she inserted the page into the scanner, Marinette opened up the picture and stared at the dress design again.  _ I should just make the colors more intense, _ She thought.  _ Everything else for the line is bright and colorful. This isn’t quite that. So it would make sense to change it to that. Right?  _

She stared down at her drawing tablet for a few moments. The unease she managed to undo moments prior had set in once more. Uncertainty surged through Marinette’s bloodstream, the panic was tormenting her with the sound of her beating heart.  _ God I wish Tikki were here, she would know what to do. _

And then suddenly, like clockwork, a tear dripped onto her tablet. Marinette wiped at her eye with a napkin she used at lunch on Friday. She daintily picked it up to blot her mascara, and was careful not to leave giant black smudges behind. Then another tear, and three more tfell. She buried her face in her hands in an attempt to muffle her quiet, but ugly sobs.  _ What is wrong with me? I should be happy! _ She internally screamed. _ I have a supportive boss, a wonderful boyfriend, fantastic friends, a great job, loving parents... I have it all. So many people would kill to be in my position. But why do I still feel so inadequate?  _

She sniffled and wiped her eyes on the half-used napkin again.  _ Is it because Chat Noir defeated Hawkmoth without me? _ That thought only intensified her sobbing and sink her head into her chest.

Suddenly, an anger burned through her. Marinette leapt onto her feet and shouted, “G-G-Get it together!” She took a deep breath, hoping no one was too worried about her sudden shouting. Without another thought, she shakily stood up, and forced herself to stare out the window. Through tearstained eyes, she forced herself to picture the signed autographed picture of Ladybug back in Alya and Nino’s apartment. She pictured the delight in Alya’s eyes while the picture was first taken. Marinette made herself remember how to this day, almost eight years later, Alya’s smile was still the same. Then Marinette remembered how last year Chloe begged her to recreate Ladybug’s costume for a Ladybug fan convention she was going to attend. She recalled how Luka and his band had written a couple of songs regarding the tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir. Juleka’s first tattoo was even in memoriam of Ladybug and Chat Noir’s bravery. And even her boss had Ladybug coasters! 

_ All of these people, even after all this time, still love  _ both _ of you. _ She told herself.  _ Even with, and without the mask. I just need to remember that.  _

For a few moments, Marinette allowed herself to catch her breath and regather her thoughts. But of course, it never lasted for long. In a distant land outside of her consciousness, Marinette heard the distant sound of her ringtone. She whimpered and attempted to pull herself together as she walked over to her cell phone. Sure enough, it was the love of her life. A tiny smile formed on her face. If only ever so slightly for a moment, some of her self-inflicted burdens were gone. She picked up her cell phone and gently ran her finger across the screen.

“Hey,,” A warm, melodic voice spoke. 

“H-Hi Luka!” Marinette spoke with a fake cheeriness.

Immediately, her boyfriend’s voice changed. “Are you okay?” He asked softly.

Marinette’s shoulders drooped. “N-Nothing is wrong!”

“Are you sure? You sound as if I barged in on you lamenting something.” 

“I-” Marinette cut herself off.  _ Damn it, I can’t tell him that I was crying because I felt guilty about not being able to save people as Ladybug! If I do, that means telling him I’m Ladybug, and I don’t know if I can do that! _ She paused for a moment. “I guess I sort of was. But don’t worry, I’ll be okay.” 

“Are you sure?” Luka’s voice was thick with concern. “Do you need me to come by?”

“It’s okay,  _ mon coeur _ . I will be fine.” Marinette sat back down at her desk. “It’s just been a rough morning. I didn’t sleep well the past few nights, and it’s getting to me.”

“Did Marcel like your designs at least?”

“He did,” Marinette picked up her tablet again, and put her phone on speaker. “He just wants me to alter the color palette of one of them, and then everything should be good to go.” 

“Well, that’s good. Maybe you’ll be able to go to bed early for a change.”

“Maybe, we’ll see,” Marinette’s lips formed a tiny smile again as she gripped her tablet pen. “How’s the recording going?” 

“Decently,” Luka answered evenly. “Henrik had a family emergency, so he wasn’t able to record his part today. I actually had to leave early, Jules needed me to help her with moving some things over to Rose’s apartment.

Marinette’s eyebrows raised. “Wait, why?”

“Well, I’m not sure if I’m supposed to tell you or not yet, but they’re moving in together.”

“Woah, really?!” Marinette sat upright in her seat. “Since when?!”

“Since this morning, I guess.”

“How?” Marinette twirled her tablet pen. “Does Rose still have her roommate?”

“I don’t know the full details,” Luka admitted. “But I guess she had to move out on a very short notice. Rose can’t pay the rent by herself, so she asked Jules about it, and Jules said yes.”

“That’s so sweet!” Marinette smiled. “I’m really happy for them.” 

“Me too,” Luka’s voice always became lighter when he spoke of his sister. “They’re hoping to get everything done by next week, after Alya and Nino’s wedding.”

“Perfect! I’d love to help them out.” Marinette said as she finished sketching out the dress. “Marcel gave me the rest of the week off, so aside from the wedding I’m free the whole week.”

Luka chuckled. “Let me guess, he wants you to sleep?”

“Of course, you know him, always worrying about my health.” Marinette laughed. “I got really lucky with him.”

“You really did,” She could imagine the subtle expression change he made as he laughed, and she began to melt from the inside out. “Speaking of... Are you still up for dinner tonight?” Luka asked. “Or do you need to sleep?” 

_ Oh, right.  _ Marinette remembered.  _ He’s supposed to come by tonight. And I was supposed to make us dinner, and I have no idea what to make! _ “N-No, it’s okay! You can still come by. Besides, I need to go grocery shopping anyway, so it’d be later.”

“Are you sure?” Luka asked.

  
“I’m sure,” Marinette said. “Chloe won’t be able to on our usual night, she’s been so busy covering for her coworkers.”

“Got it. What time do you want me over?”

“Would eight-thirty work?” Marinette asked.

“Sounds it would--” Suddenly, Luka’s audio became overran with distant shouting. “Oh shit!” He exclaimed. “I’m sorry, I have to get back to recording. But yes, eight-thirty works perfectly. I’ll see you then. I love you,  _ mon ange _ !”

“I love you too,” Marinette returned.

“Bye,” With her boyfriend hanging up, Marinette turned off her phone and looked at how long the call was. It wasn’t even five minutes, and her spirits were already lifted by him. 

_ Even from afar, he’s still wonderful.  _ She smiled. And with a much lighter heart, Marinette wiped her eyes with the used napkin, tossed it into the trash, and beckoned onward with her sketching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading again, readers! So a funny story about this chapter. I wrote this several weeks in advance, and yesterday, before I edited it, I had a similar conversation with my boss about feeling overwhelmed. Adulting tip: Make sure you advocate for yourself and your needs, even when it's really scary. If people turn you down, it doesn't mean that there's something wrong with you, it just means it may not be the place for you.
> 
> Anyway, I'm sorry this seems like it's a filler chapter! But trust me. Next week's update will be the longest it's been yet, and the plot gets going. Can't wait to see you then!


	4. The Cat's Out of the Trash Bag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette goes to the grocery store and discovers Chloe's been keeping a secret.

The checkout line was way too long. Or, at least it felt like it. Three shopping carts stood in Marinette’s way to get out of the store. One mother stood with her three obnoxious small children. An elderly woman impatiently tapped her foot in line with her small basket with two milk jugs in it. There was also a teenage couple, and Marinette could feel the sexual tension between them. 

_Let’s hope they don’t get too excited and do it on the croissant stand,_ Marinette told herself. _Then again,_ _it wouldn’t be the worst thing._ _Those croissants don’t compare to Papa’s!_

She heard vibrating coming from her right side. Marinette reached into her purse, and saw someone was trying to call her.  _ What could she want? _ She wondered.  _ If she makes me lose my place in line, I will end her. _ She sighed, enviously eyeing the teenage couple as she accepted the phone call. “Hi, Chloe.”

“Hey Marinette,” Chloe spoke sourly. “I’m sorry, but I kind of need another favor.”

_Here we go again,_ Marinette bit back. “What’s up?”  
“So I got asked to stay late, _again_ ,” Chloe’s voice dripped with venom. “That stupid Amand! Apparently he has the stomach flu, but any idiot knows that he’s probably hungover from partying _again_! Ugh! And now, I have to wait here until whoever can cover for Armand’s pathetic ass makes it!” 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Marinette said. “So what do you need me to do?” 

“I tried to call Sabrina like three times, but she wouldn’t pick up, again.” Chloe’s tone still sounded harsh, but then she suddenly sounded genuinely distressed. “She's still mad at me, but now she's just straight up ghosting me, but that's beside the point. Justin’s plane should’ve arrived a half hour ago, and I can’t get him home. Can you meet up with Justin so he can get into the apartment?”

_ Oh. Right. Chloe’s friend is staying with us.  _ Marinette internally moaned.  _ And I totally forgot to clean the apartment! I knew I forgot something when I was freaking about my design! _ She fought back the desire to pull at her hair.  _ What if we don’t have enough toilet paper?! What if he thinks we don’t have enough and I have chronic IBS or something? If he thought that, I would die of embarrassment!  _

“Marinette, are you still there?”

“Yeah, I am!” Marinette grimaced at the teens that grabbed each other’s butts in front of her. “Sorry, the line is really loud.” 

“Are you at the grocery store?” Chloe asked.

Marinette fought the urge to side-eye the making out teens, but knew she would be labelled as a giant prude if she said otherwise. “Yeah, why?”

“Can’t you use self check-out?” 

“That was the plan until some kids dropped some melons and made a mess.” Marinette rolled her eyes. “It was a complete disaster. But anyway. Where is Justin?”

“He wanted to check out this cat cafe down the street from us.” Chloe said. “I-I think it’s called Cafe de Petit Chaton? Anyway, that’s where you’ll find him.”

_ Did Chloe just stutter?  _ Marinette wondered.  _ Something’s not right, but I’ll ask later. _ “So what does he look like?” She asked. “Do you at least know what he’s wearing so I can pick him out of a crowd?”

“T-T-Trust me!” Chloe almost shouted into the phone. “You’ll know it’s him when you meet him. He’s easy to pick out.” 

“Uh, Chloe, are you okay?” Marinette asked as she scooted her cart up the aisle. “You sound like you’re about to have an aneurysm.” 

“Me, have a brain aneurysm?” Chloe asked. “Honey, I’m almost twenty-three! That’s such an utterly ridiculous thing for you to say! You hear me? U-Utterly ridiculous!”

“Chlo, cut it out.” Marinette said. “I know you’re hiding something.”

“A-Ah would you look at that!” Chloe spoke nervously. “I have to go, my manager is gonna fire me if I don’t stop talking to you! Buh-bye Dupain-Cheng!” And with that, Chloe hung up on her.

“Some things never change...” Marinette muttered as she glanced down at her cart. As she thrust her phone back into her purse, she groaned when the teens got grabby. Suddenly, as if she used her Miraculous Ladybug power, they got out of line. The boy threw his girlfriend into the cart, got behind it, and drove off with her in a fit of gleeful giggling. 

Time eventually passed, and Marinette was able to buy her items and leave the store in peace. With her three grocery bags in hand, she trekked down the streets of Paris. The sun had started to set upon her, and she knew her time was running out. Luka would be there at eight-thirty, but it was seven-forty now. Dinner would take at least forty minutes to prepare, and it was at least another ten minute walk to her house. Never mind she had to take a detour to find Justin. 

And how was she supposed to explain to Luka why a stranger was over at her apartment? _ I probably should call him and explain.  _ Marinette thought as she turned a corner.  _ Luka trusts me, but it wouldn’t hurt to say something. _

She stood over to the side of the sidewalk and put down her bags. Marinette whipped out her phone and wrote a quick text.

MDC: hey! im so sorry i forgot to mention this earlier but one of chloes friends is staying with us for a few days. his dad recently died and he needs a place to stay for the funeral. He will be by when youre here, so dont be alarmed if you see me alone with a stranger. :) 

And with a quick tap, the text was sent. She then remembered to add something else:

MDC: reminder i have the rest of the week off starting tomorrow ;) im going to brunch with nino and alya tomorrow and youre more than welcome to join us. 

With another tap, another text was sent. The corners of her lips burst into a tiny smile. As she thought about her plans as she made her way down the street, Marinette’s feet soon found themselves stopping in front of the cafe.  _ Cafe de Petit Chaton, _ the smiling cat sign read. It was a small taupe brick building, with a window displaying cat themed-items. She even spotted some Chat Noir merchandise, which was a rare sight to behold in itself. She peered into the window further, and saw lots of happy people with happy cats purring around their ankles. 

_ I’ll have to come here sometime, _ Marinette told herself.  _ But now I need to find Justin. _

She looked over her shoulder, and saw someone standing a few feet away. A man stood in the shadows with a few travel bags by his side. He wore a black baseball cap, a black pullover sweatshirt, and dark washed ripped jeans. One white earbud was in his ear, the other was dangled around his lightly tanned neck. A pair of sport sunglasses covered his eyes, and in his hands he had a lighter and an unlit cigarette. 

While the curvature of the man was pleasant to look at, he seemed unnervingly familiar. Sadly, Marinette wasn’t given too much time to think about it because that was the moment when the rice noodle box decided to make their debut. Somehow, without any warning, the box plunged out of her bag and descended to the ground. 

“You gotta be kidding me!” Marinette muttered under her breath. She bent her legs and sunk down to the ground, and was careful to make sure her skirt didn’t ride up.

“M-M-Marinette?” The man spoke tremulously as he took a step towards her. “Is that you?”

She grabbed the noodle box, and defensively held it out in front of herself. “W-Who are you?” 

For a moment, the stranger seemed to be taken aback by something, but awkwardly nodded. “Aren’t you the Dupain-Chengs' daughter?” He asked.

“Yeah, that’s me...” Marinette pulled herself off of the ground and dusted off her skirt. “By any chance, have you seen this man? His name is Justin Freud, and I’m apparently supposed to know him on sight.” 

“Actually... That would be me.” Justin said.

_ That’s oddly convenient,  _ Marinette thought. _ But at least it saves me time to go look for him. _ She looked over the man’s appearance again. Justin Freud looked very inconspicuous, save for the tufts of blond hair she saw sticking out from underneath his hat. He dressed like he didn’t want to be seen or noticed.  _ Maybe that was Chloe’s attempt at a bad joke.  _ She made up an excuse in her mind, but it fell short of convincing.  _ She wouldn’t lie...Right? _

“So, you’re Chloe’s roommate?” Justin asked shakily.

Marinette nodded. “Yeah, we’ve lived together for almost a year and a half.” 

Justin nervously laughed. “And how the hell did you manage that?” 

“Good question.” Marinette paused to think. “I mean, she bullied me throughout my childhood. Then when we were in middle school we competed for our crush’s affections. That went on for five years before said crush moved away. But before all that happened, we just got sick of hating each other. Then we realized we had a lot in common. It obviously didn’t happen overnight, but... It just changed.”  _ Why did I just share all of that with a stranger? Well, he doesn’t feel like one either. He feels like he’s almost like an old friend... Just an old friend.  _ Upon thinking that, two heavy stones dropped into Marinette’s stomach.

“I actually just meant how you live with her.” He awkwardly chuckled. “She’s used to luxury and having it all, y’know. And I know Chloe is...Chloe, so I was just curious to how you both made it work.” 

“Yeah, it was very difficult for both of us.” Marinette said. “Mostly Chloe. She didn’t have any life skills when her mom kicked her out. I’ve had to teach her how to do laundry, cook, and wash dishes. It’s been... A time, but I know that at least she’s trying, and for now that’s good enough for me.” 

“I see.” Justin shuffled his feet around and put his cigarette and lighter away. “Do you mind taking me back to your apartment? It’s been a long few days.” 

Immediately, she remembered why Justin was even here. “R-Right,” Marinette said. “I’d be happy to do that. I need to put these groceries away, anyway.”

Justin nodded. “T-Thank you, Marinette...”

The hairs on the back of Marinette’s neck abruptly stood up. She knew this voice. She didn’t want to know she remembered this voice. But she still nodded, and began to lead the way back to her apartment. 

Marinette _ knew _ something about Justin was eerily familiar. His voice and mannerisms were too reminiscent of someone Marinette used to know. A certain someone she used to closely observe in an unnervingly, stalker-like fashion. Someone she once loved dearly, but now wished she could hate. _ Even if it were him, his voice sounds slightly different. _ Marinette thought. Or maybe that’s what she really wanted to believe. 

But she also needed to know the truth. “So, Justin. It’s been a while since you’ve been back to France, huh?” 

Justin almost flinched at the sound of her voice. From what was visible of his face, Marinette saw his skin was covered with sweat. “Y-Yeah, it’s been a while. I hadn’t been back since I graduated high school.”

“So where have you been living?” Marinette asked as they walked over a crosswalk. “Chloe said you were in New York?”

“Iowa, actually.” Justin corrected. “Very different places.” 

“Iowa?” Marinette asked. “I’ve never heard of that city. Where is that, anyway?” 

“It’s a state, actually.” Justin said. “It’s not a very big one, and it’s located in the Midwest. Save the vast amount of farmland, living in Iowa is nothing to brag about.” 

“So why did you move there?” 

“I’ve always lived in Paris,” Justin explained. “And I wanted to know what it was like to live in a small city. I figured college would be a good time for that.”

“But why there?” Marinette pressed harder. “Couldn’t you have done that in France?”

“I guess.” Justin didn’t make eye contact with Marinette, and instead continued to watch over his bags. “But in addition to living in a small city, I wanted to live in another country, too. So I made it happen, and it was hard at first. My English wasn’t the best when I first moved there, but it got much better over time.” 

“Well, I’m glad to hear that it did.” Soon, Marinette could see the light. Her apartment building was just in reach, and soon she would make everything become clear. She punched in her apartment’s code, and buzzed herself and Justin in. They slowly walked up the stairs together, and soon they arrived at the apartment door. “Do you mind holding my bags?” She asked. “I need to get out my key.” 

Justin nodded, putting down his own bags as he grabbed Marinette’s from her hands. She dug into her pocket, found her key, and plunged it into the lock. Soon, the door opened, and she took the groceries back from Justin. As she looked down, she saw he wore a silver ring on his right hand. Marinette looked away, the discomfort in her stomach growling as she let him inside.

She gently set the groceries on the dining room table. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Justin flop down onto the sofa and sigh in relief. She began putting the groceries away, but always kept an eye on the unfamiliar-yet-too-familiar man. Without making any eye contact, she asked, “So, Justin, why are you still wearing sunglasses?” 

“I’m sorry?” Justin repeated.

“I mean, why are you wearing the sunglasses?” Marinette repeated. “Are your eyes sensitive to light?"

“Well, s-s-s-sort of.” Justin spoke shakily. “But truthfully, I just forgot they were on.”

“You know you can take them off, right?” 

“I...I guess so.” Justin took a deep breath. His quivering right hand slowly rose towards his face, and gingerly began to pull off his shades. 

When they came off, Marinette forced herself to look at Justin. Upon sight, her heart stopped. His eyes were green. An lustrous emerald green. A color she once loved, but now longed to despise. She noticed his long, luscious eyelashes, the kind that women would kill to have. Those were the same eyes that belonged to a person who once meant everything to her. Marinette’s pupils flickered to the right, and stared down at the tufts of blond hair sticking out of his hat. __

_ I’m so stupid, _ she thought.  _ So goddamn stupid. It was obvious from the start.  _

“I knew it.” Marinette blankly stared at ‘Justin Freund’. Contrary to what Chloe made him out to be, he wasn’t just a friend at all. He was  _ Adrien Agreste _ . Her ex-crush, her first love, and most importantly, the man who broke her heart. And now, he stood right before her, in her home. 

“I...” Adrien trailed off, his shoulders sinking with the rest of his irritatingly gorgeous body. 

“I can’t believe this.” Marinette blinked as she hugged her arms around herself. “Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“H-Hey, I’m just as confused as you are!” Adrien exclaimed. “I didn’t even know I’d be staying with you!” 

“How?!” Marinette asked. Afterwards, she gritted her teeth. “What did she even say?”

“She said she had an apartment she shared with a roommate.” Adrien said. “All I know is that you helped her out, and nothing more.”

Marinette crossed her arms. “And why should I believe you?” 

“Because we’re friends!” He exclaimed. “At least, we used to be.” 

She took a step backwards away from him. “How do you think we could ever be friends after what happened between us that day?”

Adrien’s eyes widened. “I-I didn’t know, I’m so sorry-”

“Are you really, Agreste?” She cut him off sharply. “Because I don’t think you really understand.”   
Soon, the door swung open to unveil the one and only Chloe Bourgeois. She pushed the door aside, widely flung open her hand, and fluttered it from side to side. “Hello Marinette, hello Adrikins-” Her wide smile soon faded away when she saw her friends’ angered and hurt expressions.

“Chloe, what the actual  _ fuck _ ?!” Adrien and Marinette shouted in unison. 

Chloe hung her head quietly as she closed the door. For several moments, an awkward tension-fueled silence filled the air. Marinette crossed her arms all over again, and refused to look them in the eyes. However, she thought she heard Chloe mutter, “Pisscakes and shitshakes...”

Marinette sharply spun her head around towards Chloe. “You’re answering my questions,  _ now _ .”

“Your questions?” Adrien’s arms raised up defensively. “I didn’t know you two were even roommates!” He looked over at Chloe, his eyes full of anger and hurt. “Why didn’t you tell me that?! I thought you had your own place now!”

“I do!” Chloe spoke defensively. “This place is mine.”

“Your place, my ass!” Marinette rolled her eyes. “Who’s name is on the lease?! Mine! And it’s just in  _ my name _ because you moved in six months after I signed the damn thing!” 

“But I help pay for rent and groceries!” Chloe’s arms fanned out at her sides. “Look, I know I fucked up here. I know I didn’t think this through enough, but I-” 

Soon, the door swung open again, and Marinette momentarily felt better. Just from his presence, Luka could alleviate tension with his levelheaded persona. Or at the very least, it was enough to subdue Marinette’s seething anger. Small streaks of teal and blue poked out through his jet black hair. A few piercings hung on his ears. He wore a tank top that showed off the tattoo sleeve on his right arm. Around his neck was a guitar pick necklace, a gift that Marinette had given him for their first anniversary. 

“Hey guys, what’s up-” Luka immediately frowned when he saw the situation. The expression in his eyes was neutral as he looked towards Chloe and Marinette, but it soon changed when he looked at Adrien. It was only for a second, but it almost looked like Luka was  _ angry  _ upon seeing the other man. While that flicker of anger in his eyes came as quick as it left, if Marinette wasn’t so upset she would’ve worried about it.

“Chloe invited Adrien to stay with us without telling me!” Marinette said.

Chloe crossed her arms. “I totally told you I was, I just didn’t tell you the right details!” 

Marinette rolled her eyes. “And that counts as not telling me!”

“Again! I know I fucked up, but you should’ve asked more questions!” Chloe said.

“What was I supposed to ask?” Marinette’s face flushed red as she shakily pointed a finger at Chloe. “‘Hi Chloe, is the guy you’re having stay with us really named Justin?’ No! You’re the one that was relaying the information! I didn’t ask because I trusted you!”

“Just because you trusted me, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask questions!” Chloe’s nose flared in a poor attempt to defend herself.

“This argument doesn’t even make sense anymore!” Marinette cried. “You just don’t want to be wrong!”

Luka raised a hand, and with that alone, the women stopped arguing. “Mari, can I talk to you in private?” He asked quietly.

Marinette’s eye twitched slightly, and hot steam came out of her nose. “Fine.” Luka led Marinette away from the others, and pulled her aside into her bedroom. “Why aren’t you standing up for me?” Marinette blurted out. “Why are you taking her side? She lied to me!”  
“I’m not taking anyone’s side,” Luka spoke neutrally. “I’m trying to help you see the situation for what it really is, _mon petit chou_. Even if they’re...Utterly ridiculous, Chloe has her reasons.”

Marinette turned her face away from Luka. “Why should I have to listen to her? This is  _ my  _ apartment.”

“And I’m not denying that it isn’t,” Luka said. “But you should hear her out before you decide to do anything drastic.” He gently placed his hands onto her shoulders. “Marinette, I know this is uncomfortable for you, and I would be lying if I told you I wasn’t either.” Despite his monotone way of speaking, when she looked into Luka’s eyes, Marinette saw how displeased he truly was. “Ever since I saw Adrien, I’ve been fighting the urge to punch him in the face.”

Marinette snorted as she fought back a smile. “So then why haven’t you?”

“Because I’d end up in prison for assault of a former world famous model.” Luka pressed his forehead against Marinette’s. She let herself fall into him, and let her torso lean into his arms. “I know this isn’t fair, and you have every right to be upset. But it wasn’t just you who was wronged by this.” He thoughtfully paused for a moment. “I didn’t hear the full argument from outside, but it sounds like Chloe lied to Adrien too. Despite what he’s done, he was just as innocent as you are in this.” 

“So what?” Marinette crossed her arms.

“So, you should talk this out with Chloe.”

Marinette sighed. “Do I have to?”

Luka patted her on the head. “You don’t, but you probably should.” 

She groaned and rubbed at her temples. “Why can’t you just let me be angry and irrational in peace?”

“Because we both know you would be mad at me if I didn’t stop you from doing something you’d regret.” 

Marinette leaned her head against his shoulder. “I hate it when you’re right.” She muttered grumpily. 

She thought she heard him chuckle. “I know you do.” He slowly pulled away from Marinette before kissing her on the forehead. 

She shyly looked away from him. “If she apologizes, do I have to forgive her?” 

“That’s your decision, not mine.” Luka gently ruffled her hair. “You have to be willing to decide if it's worth your peace of mind first before you make that decision.” He took a deep breath. “At any rate, you will know what to do when you go out there.”

“And what do I do if that fails?”

“Well, you can always stay with me for a few days.” Luka winked. Or at least, he had tried to. Luka’s version of winking was to blink with both eyes in the most cringe-worthy fashion he could muster. 

And like always, Marinette couldn’t help but to burst out into laughter. “Why do you keep trying to do that? We both know you can’t wink.” 

“I know,” He gave a warm, even-toothed smile. “But you always smile when I try.”

Marinette had to fight a grin in spite of the tense moment. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him tenderly. He kissed her back, and they let their lips mingle for several moments before Marinette broke it away. “Let’s get back out there.” She spoke sadly.

“Do we have to?” Marinette gave Luka a deadpan expression, which made him laugh. “I was kidding,  _ my song _ . Let’s go talk this out.” 

She nodded, and turned her back to him as she faced the door. Marinette pulled it open to find Chloe and Adrien still in the same positions they were in previously. She slowly walked up to Chloe, and the blond woman flinched at the sight of her. Marinette closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and sighed. “Chloe, I’m going to start and say that I’m really mad at you. Dare I say pissed. You betrayed my trust and invited  _ him _ into our apartment,” Marinette let her glare flicker onto Adrien. He flinched, and she felt mostly satisfied. She quickly turned attention back to Chloe. “I agreed to this under the premise that your friend Justin was staying, not Adrien. Why did you lie to me about this?”

“...Would it help to know Justin is technically my name now?” Adrien spoke up.

Marinette didn’t look over at him. “It doesn’t.” Under her eyes, Marinette watched Chloe slowly begin to unravel. She was shaking, and looked like she was about to break. She was gritting her teeth, and was gripping one of her wrists in a vain attempt to stabilize herself. “Chloe, can you explain yourself?”

Chloe hung her head. “I’m really sorry.” She spoke softly. “I think I understand how bad this is now. I know I fucked up. If it weren’t totally obvious, I didn’t think any of this through.”

“No shit, really?” Marinette muttered under her breath.

“I’m serious,” Chloe wiped at her eyes. “When Adrien called me the other night, I knew I had to do something. Since I fell out with Daddy, I couldn’t get him a room at our hotel. If he went anywhere else, he would be instantly recognized and wouldn’t be left alone. This... Was all I could do.” She paused for a few moments, and attempted to suck back in her pouty bottom lip. She looked over at Adrien, and from seeing Chloe’s glassy eyes, Marinette felt guilty. “Adrien, I’m so sorry. I should’ve been honest with you from the start.”

“But why didn’t you tell me that Marinette was your roommate?” Adrien asked.

“I...” Chloe looked down at her feet. “I knew bringing up Marinette was a sore subject for you, so I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

_ What the hell?  _ Marinette thought. _ Why would _ I  _ be a sore subject for _ him  _ to hear about _ ? 

“And...” Chloe tilted her head towards Marinette, unable to meet her eyes. “I thought you were over what happened.”

“What happened between Adrien and I six years ago has nothing to do with why I’m upset,” Marinette spoke, realizing half of that was a lie. “You still violated our boundaries, and wasn’t honest with me. You still should have told me the truth.” 

“I know...” Chloe sighed. “And I wish I did things differently now.” She looked out towards the window. “I guess it’s true after all... No good deed goes unpunished.”

“T-That’s not true!” Adrien stammered. “I mean... You still lied, but at least there was good intentions.”

“It doesn’t excuse what happened,” Marinette cut off abruptly. “Chloe still violated my trust.” 

Chloe struggled to meet Marinette’s cold expression. “If you want me to leave, I get it...”

Marinette went silent for a moment as she weighed over her options.  _ Chloe didn’t lie for her own sake, she was doing this for Adrien and I, in a weird way.  _ She thought.  _ Even if I don’t like Adrien, she was just trying to help her friend _ . 

_ Yeah, but how would she feel if you invited Kim to stay with us after he friend-zoned her _ ? A part of herself argued. 

_ Just as bad as I do, but I think she gets it now _ . Marinette saw Chloe rubbing at her eyes again. 

_ But why should I have to forgive her?  _ She snapped back.  _ Does she deserve forgiveness? _

_Is it worth your peace of mind?_ Marinette heard Luka’s voice echo through her thoughts. After more contemplation, she crossly spoke up. “I won’t kick you out over this. As much as I hate to admit it, I understand. But don’t get me wrong. I’m still extremely uncomfortable, and I’m still mad at you. However, you were trying to be a good friend for Adrien.” _Even though he doesn’t deserve it,_ She finished silently.

Chloe sniffled. “Really?”

Marinette nodded. “As much as I want to be upset, a special person reminded me that it’s not always about my feelings. I’m still allowed to be upset with you, but I should understand your side too.” Chloe looked at the ground and continued to cry silently.

“So... Should I leave?” Adrien asked.

“Not tonight.” Marinette said. Instantly regretting her decision, she said, “My personal feelings aside, you’ve done nothing wrong here.”

Adrien looked away from the group towards his bags. “I just don’t want to make people uncomfortable.”

“Chloe just explained that you don’t have options,” Marinette snapped. “Where else would you go?”

Adrien shuffled his feet. “I...Could try to track down Nino. Maybe.” 

“You’ll be out all night trying to do that,” Marinette said. “You shouldn’t do it.”  _ Not to mention he’s getting married on Saturday! What would Nino and Alya do if he showed up?  _ Marinette grimaced at the thought. 

“I could rent a BNB-” Adrien began.

“Adrien, you’re not leaving.” Marinette snapped. When he flinched, she immediately realized she was being too harsh. “Tonight you will stay here. We’ll figure out the rest tomorrow.” She added in a gentler tone.  _ Why am I arguing for him to stay? _ She thought to herself.  _ It’s not because I still have feelings or anything! It’s because this is the right thing to do.  _

Adrien sighed and leaned his head into his palm and ruffled his hair. “I guess that’s it. Now, if you excuse me, is there a rooftop or somewhere I can smoke?”

“Top of the roof is where people usually go,” Luka spoke curtly. “Have fun with that.”

Adrien nodded, got up from the sofa, and walked out of the apartment. Like a young adult book protagonist, Marinette let out a sigh she didn’t know she was holding onto. She buried her face in her hands. “I can’t believe this...”

Luka came up and wrapped his arms around Marinette’s shoulders. “I know... This is hard.”

Marinette pressed into him and whispered into his ear, “Luka... Can you stay with me tonight?” She looked up at him and aggressively fluttered her eyelashes.

Luka brushed loose strands of hair out of her face, and a light color of pink flooded through his cheeks. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” An arm fell from around her shoulders to wrap around her waist, and he pulled her closer to his body.

“Good,” She spoke coyly. “Because I got to have  _ you _ my way.” 

He licked his lips as his free hand began to draw circles on her thigh. “I’m down to try your way, but... Are you sure about this?”

Marinette quickly pulled away from him, and grabbed hold of Luka’s wrist. “Hell yeah I’m sure,” Marinette led him along to her bedroom. “Are you?”

Luka nodded and bit her ear. “Anything for you, my song.” 

Marinette’s anger faded, but only slightly during that moment. “Let’s make this quick before I go too crazy.”

Luka grinned. “Sounds good to me.”

If Chloe had looked over, the last thing she would’ve seen was Marinette and Luka tearing into each others’ bodies as the door slammed shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies! So far, this is the longest chapter of ABoG to date. Adrien is finally here! And I know this chapter will create more questions than answers. Some future chapters will give some insight into the situation, but you just have to wait and find out. See you all next week! ~ Fae


	5. A Bag of Cucumbers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an awkward moment at Marinette's apartment, she and Luka go and have brunch with Nino and Alya.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! Just a quick warning, there's a little bit of smut at the beginning of this chapter. What can I say? The characters took over... Hope you all enjoy!

_ The sun was too damn bright.  _ Or at least that's what Marinette groggily thought while waking up. She peeled open her tired eyes, and saw a pair of toned arms wrapped around her unclothed body. One arm was a pale unpainted canvas, the other arm had a serpent tattoo lacing up its flesh from wrist to shoulder. A tiny smile creeped on her face. Perhaps this morning wasn't so bad after all.

“Good morning,” Luka whispered.

“Good morning,” Marinette twisted around to look into his eyes. Luka's hair was tousled and was just as messy as hers probably was. Yet, his bed head held charm Marinette couldn't resist. “Have you been up a while?” She asked.  
“Nah, just ten minutes.” He pulled her close to him, and buried his face in her chest. “But it was ten minutes too long without you.”

Just hearing his voice had an affect on Marinette she couldn’t explain. It had to be at least two minutes since she woke up, but her mind was rapidly becoming more alert. “Stop being so corny,” She giggled. 

“Right, sorry.” He lifted his head up to look over at her alarm clock, and saw it read 9:13. “Don’t you have work today?”

Marinette shook her head. “Marcel gave me today off.”

“That’s right...He did.” Luka grinned. “Anything fun planned?”

“Well, I’m meeting up with Alya and Nino at ten.” Marinette said.

“Shouldn’t you be getting ready then?” Luka asked.

Marinette stroked his cheek. “Perhaps, but it’s not that long of a walk. Besides, I got all the time in the world for you.” He peered into her eyes for several moments, and within his she saw he held all the love in the world. And yet, it was all for her.  _ How did I get so lucky? _ Marinette internally swooned.  She knew she had to have him. Without another thought, Marinette softly pressed her lips against his. Luka pressed back, harder. And then they kissed. Then again, and again. ...And again. 

She then broke the kiss. “Do you want to come to brunch with me?”

“Absolutely,” Luka said. “But I’m doing another recording session with the band at eleven, so I can’t stay for long.” 

Marinette’s fingers slowly traced the outside of Luka’s jawline. “Why so early?” 

“It was the only time that would work this week,” Luka said while reaching for a plastic square on the nightstand. “But the album is almost done.”

Her chest swelled with pride as she tore off the head of the condom wrapper. “Have I ever told you how proud I’m of you?” She said as she handed the rubbery sheath over to him.

“Many times,” Luka said as he moved under the covers to position himself.

“Well, I really am.” She beamed while rolling onto her back. “I’m so happy you decided to follow your dreams.” 

His hand brushed the hair off of her cheeks as he positioned his knees on either side of her body. “Me too,” He said. Luka spread her legs, and gently caressed her thighs. He gently lined his hips up with hers before guiding himself in. A tiny moan escaped from her lips as he started to thrust, his movements in cadence to their newly found rhapsody. Luka put his lips against Marinette’s, and in retaliation she thrust her tongue into his mouth. His tongue flicked back, and she hungrily pressed her lips into his even harder. His touch, as usual, was electrifying. 

And she knew she couldn’t just take it, she had to give it. Their lips parted ways, and Marinette’s mouth traced down Luka’s jawline and settled on his neck. She sucked hard on the skin, and heard him moan in pleasure. He pulled out of her, and propped her up onto his lap. Without much haste, Marinette guided him back in. Soon enough, they settled back into their groove once more, and it was as if the brief intermission never happened.

They weren’t sure how long they were at it, but to Marinette it felt like hardly any time went by when the door swung open. Adrien was glancing down at his phone in one hand, and a grocery bag was in the other. “Hey Chloe, I got the cucumbers you wanted-” 

When he looked up, he made eye contact with Marinette and Luka. It took him a moment to register that their naked bodies were right in front of him. But it sunk in soon enough. Adrien immediately dropped his phone and bag to cover his eyes. A horrified scream escaped Marinette’s lips as she hastily covered herself with her hands. Luka, who had his back to Adrien, pulled out of Marinette and shot him a death glare. Red-faced, Adrien immediately grabbed the bag of cucumbers, picked up his phone, and slammed the door shut.

Marinette’s vision tinted white, and she buried her reddened face into Luka’s chest.  _ Oh my God. Adrien walked in on Luka and I having sex. I repeat, Adrien walked in on us having  _ sex _! S _ he thought. _ Is my life over? Can it be over? God, if you’re there, can you make it happen? Please?  _

Luka immediately pulled Marinette into his arms again. “Are you okay?” He whispered urgently.

“I want to die,” Marinette muttered.

“Do you want me to put him out?” Luka said. 

His words magically snapped her out of her stupor, and anger had swollen within her once more. “Thank you,  _ mi amore _ , but I can handle this.” 

“Are you sure?” Luka said. “I’m kind of uncomfortable that he saw you-”

“Luka, it’s okay.” Marinette said.  _ Besides, it wasn’t quite the first time that Adrien had seen me,  _ she thought to herself.  _ But Luka doesn’t need to know that. _

After a few moments, Marinette pulled away from Luka, and hastily went over to her desk chair to grab her bathrobe. She flung it across her body, and made sure to tie a tight knot in the sash. When she was absolutely sure everything was covered, she walked out of the room, and grabbed some water from the kitchen. Not too far from her, Adrien was seated on the couch. In the corner of her eye, she saw that he was intimately engaged in a staring contest with the floor. Unsurprisingly, he failed to meet her eyes.

For a few moments, Marinette sipped on her water, and quietly sighed to herself. But then, she heard footsteps come towards her. She spun around on her heel, and looked up into a pair of tired green eyes. Yet despite the dark circles, his eyes were just as beautiful as she remembered. It was like they were sixteen again. Things were different back then, they were young, innocent, and mostly happy. And above all else, that rainy day in the park never happened. For a moment too long, she realized she was longing for-

And then she realized that she was intently staring into his eyes. Marinette blushed, and hastily looked away. 

“I’m so sorry.” Adrien said. 

Marinette quickly backed away from him, and covered her face. Another set of footsteps came up from behind her, and a pair of gentle arms draped across her neck. In Marinette’s peripheral vision, she saw that Luka was fully dressed and had protectively laid his arms across her body.

Adrien blinked a few times at the sight of their intimacy. “So wait, you two are...”

“Yes, we’re together.” Luka spoke in a low, deadpan voice, his protective hold on Marinette growing tighter. “What did you think we were?”

“I thought you two were just very good friends.” Adrien spoke quietly. 

_ I can’t deal with this awkwardness anymore.  _ And with that thought in mind, Marinette began to walk back to her room. “Luka, we’re going to be late.”

“But I thought-” Luka began before he got the hint. He then nodded. “Right. We should go.” 

“Where are you going?” Adrien shouted at them, his voice trying to but failing to sound casual. 

Marinette ignored his question and briskly threw on a fuchsia polka dot dress, a charm bracelet, black sandals, and a long hematite tassel necklace. She pulled her purse across her shoulder, grabbed a pair of black sunglasses, and smoothed down her hair. She gently grabbed Luka by the hand and guided him out towards the entryway of their apartment.

“Tell Nino and Alya I said hi,” Chloe shouted from her bedroom.

Marinette also ignored her, and watched Luka sit on the dark gray fuzzy rug on the floor to slip on his shoes. 

In the corner of her eye, she saw Adrien’s head look towards them again. “You’re seeing Nino and Alya?” He asked. 

“Yes,” Marinette grabbed onto the apartment door and swung it wide open. 

Adrien ruffled his hair. “Well... Please tell them I said hi.” 

“Yeah, okay.” Marinette said.  _ Oh, I will tell them all right. _

As soon as Luka came out behind her, she slammed the door shut and stormed down the stairs. She opened the door to the apartment building with a slam, and briskly made her way down the street. 

“W-Wait up!” Luka shouted as he ran to catch up with her. When she refused to listen to him, Luka then zoomed around Marinette and stood in front to block her. “Hey...” He said. 

“What?” Marinette refused to meet his eyes.

He gently patted her on the head. “You shouldn’t let what happened this morning ruin your time with your friends.” 

Marinette acknowledged him with a slight nod and then walked forward. Taking her hint, Luka remained quiet the rest of the walk there. It was about a ten minute walk to le Zinnia. Le Zinnia was in an old, brown-bricked cottage that was built during the sixteenth century. A popular legend said the cottage was abandoned by a family during the Reformation. However, it was purchased by a wealthy businessman who rented out the property for several generations. Then, back in the late 1940s, someone bought out the cottage to turn into a restaurant.

Luka maneuvered around Marinette, and went to hold the door open for her. She spoke a quiet “thank you”, and walked in a daze through the entryway. 

Thankfully, it didn’t take them long to find their new destination. Nino and Alya were already there, sitting together at an iron table, hand-in-hand. Alya waved over to Marinette and Luka with her free hand. Luka wrapped his arm around Marinette’s shoulder and guided her towards the table. 

The first thing Marinette noticed when she sat down was the mimosa pitcher. It was filed with orange juice with sliced strawberries, oranges, limes, and lemon. Immediately, she knew who this was for. Nino didn’t drink, and Luka wasn’t a fan of fruity drinks. 

_ Alya, this is why you’re my best friend, _ Marinette thought gratefully. Without wasting another moment, she looked straight at Nino with a strained smile. “Hey, can you hand me a glass?” She asked.

Nino gave Luka a concerned look, but nodded. As he handed Marinette a goblet, she reached for the pitcher. She unsteadily poured the alcohol into her glass, and got some of it onto the white tablecloth. Even though she should be used to her clumsiness, Marinette cringed and immediately put down the pitcher. And then she began to drink, very, very fast. Even though the alcohol stung the back of her throat, Marinette gulped down her mimosa without a care in the world. Luka gave her a disapproving and concerned frown. 

Alya let out an awkward laugh. “Girl, take it easy on the drinking.” 

“I’m just celebrating your upcoming marriage,” Marinette sucked on her teeth.

Alya didn’t look convinced, but she still handed her a food menu. “Please, order something.” She insisted. “It’s too early in the morning to get drunk.”

Marinette gave her a tiny nod, and glanced down at the menu. “Have you two already ordered?” 

“Oh yeah, we put ours in before you came.” Nino said. “But, we did ask to bring everything out at the same time.” 

Marinette smiled. “Thank you, I appreciate it.”

“Well, we knew you would be at  _ least _ fifteen minutes late,” Alya spoke with a cheeky grin. “So we figured you’d be awhile.”

“Oh shut up,” Marinette felt her cheeks pucker out. “So! How are preparations? Besides the silk flower assembly party, are you two all set with everything?”

“Well, Auntie Vivian arrived last night,” Nino’s nose crinkled. “She’s at Mom’s, and she’s already driving Chris insane.”

Marinette winced. She remembered Nino’s  _ beloved _ Auntie Vivian too well. When Marinette came over to play with Nino when they were kids, sometimes his aunt would visit. And when she did, she was unbearable. Auntie Vivian was always loud and boisterous on her phone calls to her aging and super rich husband, smoked the stinkiest of cigars, and had a laugh like a cartoon villain. Marinette once thought of Auntie Vivian as an older, even more stuck-up version than Chloe. “What a shock,” She spoke sarcastically. 

“Yeah, well. At least she’s not my problem this weekend.” Nino looked over at Alya. “Because I’m about to get a big one added to my list.”

“But I’m  _ your _ favorite problem.” Alya smiled coyly.

“Sometimes,” Nino smirked. 

The waiter silently walked up to the table. Marinette immediately looked down at the menu and said, “Just give me a farmer’s omelette, extra salt on the potatoes.” 

“I’ll take a coconut banana platter,” Luka said. “And a shrimp cocktail.” 

The waiter looked confused. “The bananas haven’t been on the menu for years. How do you know about them?”   


“I worked here several years ago,” Luka said. “T’was a favorite of mine.”

The waiter’s face lit up with recognition. “Wait, you’re Luka Couffaine! Aren’t you the lead guitarist for Angels on Standby?”

Luka’s eyes immediately lit up. “Sure am. How do you know about us?”   


“One of my friends is in the music scene and has talked about your group a lot, and has showed me some of your work.” The waiter answered, an excited grin forming on his face. “I heard you’re working on your first studio album, that’s so awesome! When will it be out?”

“We’re hoping for January,” Luka spoke earnestly. 

“Will you tour?” The waiter asked.

“Maybe,” Luka shrugged. “It depends on what happens.” 

_ Maybe? _ Marinette thought.  _ Why wouldn’t he? I guess that means we really should talk about that.  _

“Anyway, I’ll go put in your orders.” The waiter smiled. “It was nice meeting you, Luka. I look forward to hearing more of your work.”

“Thank you.” Luka grinned from ear to ear as the waiter walked away.

“Look at you go, Couffaine.” Nino said.

“You’re a superstar now,” Alya grinned ear to ear. “I’m gonna have to get your autograph now too, y’know.”

Luka’s warm laughter rang through the air. “Perhaps, but I still have ways to go.” He looked over at Nino. “Has the rest of your family made it in yet?”

“Just about, yeah.” Nino said. “Aside from my jackass father, the whole family’s already chillin’.”

“What about you, Alya?” Marinette looked at her best friend. “Has Nora made it in yet?” 

Alya nodded. “She and her partner both have.”

“Partner?” Luka asked. “When did that happen?”

“A while ago, I guess.” Alya said. “We haven’t officially met her yet. All we know is that she’s apparently a carpenter or something. I believe they met at a bar.” 

“That sounds nice,” Marinette’s smile faded as memories from the prior morning returned. She looked down at the bottom of her goblet, and sighed. 

“What’s wrong Marinette?” Nino asked. “You look like you haven’t been sleeping again.”

She immediately jumped at his concern. “Oh, that?! Nononono, Nino-I-” She cut herself off. “That’s how I always look! Y’know me! I don’t sleep, like ever! And when I do it’s hardly ever and not for long!” She let out an outburst of fake, vexatious laughter.

Luka placed a warm hand on Marinette’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Marinette.” He said. “They’ll find out soon enough anyway.”

“Find out what?” Alya’s eyes were searching Marinette’s fingers.

Marinette grabbed the mimosa pitcher to pour herself another drink, and took another gulp. “No. Nothing like that.” 

“Oh God, what happened?” 

“Nothing important happened,” Marinette said.

“Marinette, please,” Nino said. “It’s okay. Just because we’re getting married in four days doesn’t mean you can’t talk to us about the things that bother you. We’re still your friends.”

_ Ugh, I don’t want to talk about this, but... Luka has a point. _ She thought begrudgingly. 

“Mari, are you...” Alya looked down towards Marinette’s belly.

Marinette loudly belched and didn’t care to cover her mouth. “ _ Hell _ no.” She objected. She then slumped down into the outer edge of her chair. “It’s well... Ugh. He’s back.”

“Who’s back?” Alya asked.

“Adrien.” Marinette forced out. “Adrien Agreste is back in Paris.” 

Nino dropped his fork. “Wait. Are you... Serious?” He spoke slowly.

“I wish I wasn’t.” Marinette put down her goblet. “He’s staying with Chloe and I.” 

“Hold up.” Alya paused. “What?!” 

Her friends’ astonishment was almost too much for her to handle. Marinette took another big sip of her drink again. “Yes Al... Adrien’s staying with us.” She spoke bitterly.

“Wait, really?” Nino continued to stare down at his dropped fork in disbelief. “He’s back?” 

Alya slammed down her spoon. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?!" She exclaimed. "This is  _ b-i-g  _ Marinette! Big!"

"I know," She spoke sourly. "I was going to call you last night, but a lot happened."

Alya crossed her arms. "So how did he end up in your apartment? Why did you let him in? Why  _ would _ you after what happened?"

"It's not like I meant to!" Soon Marinette realized everyone else in the cafe was staring at her. With a reddened face, she took another sip of her mimosa.

But soon, she was stopped. Luka pried her drink from her hand and put it on the opposite side of him. “Perhaps you should take it easy on those...” He suggested. 

“So how did he end up there?” Alya asked.

“It’s all Chloe’s fault.” Marinette said. “Somehow, they were still in contact, and then she invited him to stay at our apartment without telling me that it was him.”

“He was in contact with  _ Chloe _ ?” Alya took off her glasses and rubbed at her eyes. “Jesus, and here I was worried about our silk flower decorations making party.” She looked over at Marinette, and worry continued to wrinkle her face. “Are you okay?” 

Marinette ignored Alya’s question, and instead directed her attention towards Nino. He still stared down at the fork, and remained silent.  _ I don’t think he’s taking this well,  _ She realized. 

In the fifteen plus years they’ve been friends, Nino always tried to present himself as patient, laidback, and unperturbed. His chill demeanor was almost impenetrable. He and Luka were oddly similar in that regard. But Nino’s tells were not nearly as subtle as Luka’s. His shoulders were slumped, and his hands limply dangled at his sides. His posture was rigid and tense. Soon, Nino’s hands were brought back to life as he tightly gripped the tabletop. His hands had white knuckles that threatened to burst. 

While she was heartbroken when Adrien left, Marinette knew Nino had been deeply wounded too. She never knew Adrien. Marinette had known that for a while now, and still had trouble accepting it. She built Adrien a pedestal and made him stand up there like a circus animal. Just like everyone else, she refused to see him as less-than-perfect. When Marinette was sixteen, she thought she was in love with him. But as she’s learned through her relationship with Luka, idealizing a person based on shallow attributes wasn’t true love. 

But Nino knew Adrien, and he knew him well. At one time everyone knew that Nino and Adrien were the best of friends. While they had drifted apart towards the end of lycée and made other friends, it was clear that they would do anything for each other, and called each other “brother”. Nino even got akumatized on Adrien’s behalf when Gabriel refused to let him have a birthday party.

For the first time, Marinette let herself see past her own selfishness.  _ Had Nino been hurt worse than I was? _ She wondered shamefully. After mulling over it for a moment, Marinette cleared her throat. “Nino?” 

He shakily stood up from the table, and wouldn’t meet anyone’s eyes. “Give me a minute, Marinette.” He turned his still lowered head towards Alya. “I’ll be back.” 

“But we’re...” Alya’s voice got stuck in her throat. Then immediately, without another word, she understood. She gently grabbed and squeezed hold of one of Nino’s hands before she let go. He nodded, and then drifted away on unsteady feet.

For a while, Marinette, Luka, and Alya sat in uncomfortable silence. Alya eventually pulled out her phone, and started checking her social media. Luka, from the corner of her eye, looked like he was reflecting upon something. Or at least, she thought he was. Marinette wasn’t sure. 

She barely noticed when their food arrived. Coconut-crusted banana slices, a farmer’s omelette, a giant breakfast nachos platter, and a shrimp cocktail were placed on the table. Alya put the nachos plate between her and Nino’s chairs, and helped put the other items by Marinette and Luka. Marinette halfheartedly took a bite of her omelette. Despite how nice the cheese melted and how the other flavors sang to her, her food tasted bland. She chewed on her food for several minutes, and cut some of it up to make it look like she ate more than what she did. 

Finally, Luka broke the tense silence. “Do we want to check on him?” 

Alya shook her head. “He just needs some time to process this. He’ll be okay.” The last sentence sounded harshly unconvincing. 

Marinette grabbed one of the sliced bananas, and ate off of the stick. The crunch of the coconut paired well with the light sweetness of the banana. “This is so good.” She said. “How did they make the coconut stay on?”

“They dip and soak the bananas in orange juice for fifteen minutes,” Luka said. “Then, they roll the bananas in coconut.”

“That sounds so easy,” She thought aloud as she took another bite. “They really should put this back on the menu.”

“That, they should.” 

Over Luka’s shoulder, she saw a familiar slumped figure slowly moving towards them. Momentarily, Marinette was relieved when she saw Nino again. When she tried to get a good look at his face, what she saw made her heart ache. While his expression was almost unreadable, behind his glasses she could see his eyes were red-rimmed. Alya immediately rested a hand on his shoulder as he sat down. 

“Are you going to eat?” Nino shook his head. “You should.”

“I’ll be fine.” He spoke barely above a whisper. 

Alya uneasily nodded and her hand drifted away from Nino back towards her food. “So, I still have questions.” She said. “Why is Agreste here?” 

“His dad is dying,” Luka spoke coolly. “As awful as Adrien was to everyone before he left, he still has a heart.”

Alya cocked an eyebrow. “I guess. Didn’t he have a huge row with his dad before he left?”

“We don’t know that for sure,” Marinette said.

“Well, I’m ninety-eight percent sure of it.” Alya puffed out her chest. “But was he okay? Not that it matters, but I just want to confirm that he’s not going to pull any shit on Mari.” 

“Not sure,” Luka put a piece of shrimp into his mouth. “We didn’t talk.”

“To be honest, none of us really have since he came in last night.” Marinette said. “Mostly everything’s super-freakishly-awkward-between-us.”

“Oh right, because he broke your heart like a total douche.” Alya spoke sarcastically. She looked over at Luka. “So why isn’t Mari staying with you?” 

Marinette crossed her arms. “It’s  _ my _ apartment, and  _ my  _ name’s the one on the lease. I shouldn’t have to leave.” 

“Good,” Alya put down her fork again. “I’m glad you’re holding your ground there. But why haven’t you kicked her out over this?”

“Alya, her parents  _ disowned _ her,” Marinette shoved another banana slice into her mouth. “Plus Sabrina and her don’t exactly get along anymore. Where else would Chloe go?” 

“She could figure it out,” Alya said. “She’s tanned, blond, and the mayor’s daughter. She could easily get a sugar daddy. That’s what Chloe would do.”

“But that’s not her anymore, Alya,” Marinette said. “She’s-”

“ _ Changed _ ,” Alya interrupted. “That’s what you’ve said when she let the drug addict stay at your apartment, that’s what you said when she flooded the sink, and that’s what you said when she clogged the toilet with her tampons.”

“Okay, she has messed up badly, and she knows that.” Marinette said. “And she’s made up for it. And she’s actually apologized, and tried to make amends.”

“Only because you’re all she has left now.” Alya rolled her eyes.

“Well-” Marinette began to object.

“You literally just said that you couldn’t kick her out because she has nowhere else to go.” Alya snapped. 

Marinette looked over at Nino, who was still lost in thought. Then she looked over at Luka who nodded in agreement. “Marinette, I know she doesn’t understand boundaries, but you can’t make excuses for her forever.” Alya said. 

“How can she understand boundaries when no one has taught her any?” Marinette asked. “Yes, she drives me insane but she can’t help what she doesn’t know! Someone has to teach her to be an outstanding member of society!”

“But that’s not your place to do that,” Alya snapped. “You shouldn’t have to fix other people.”

“But-”

“Forget it,” Alya stood up, tossing her plate and the remainder of her food aside. She quickly prodded Nino with a finger. “Nino, we’re leaving.” 

Nino took a few moments to snap out of his daze. “W-What?” 

“We’re leaving.” Alya repeated as she grabbed her purse. “Luka, get some to-go containers for us.” He nodded, and hastily got up. 

“Where are we going?” Marinette asked.

“We’re going to  l e Camelia .” Alya said.

Marinette’s stomach dropped. “You don’t mean-”

“I’m serious. I’m not letting this happen anymore.” Alya took another sip of her drink and scarfed down the rest of her toast. “No one fucks with my friends.” 

Marinette gulped. “Y-You don’t need to do this! You have your wedding to think about!”

“You’re right, I do.” Alya spat. “But losing my shit on an overly privileged white girl is going to do wonders for my skin.” 

Although she trusted Alya dearly, Marinette knew well that her best friend had a fiery temper. Especially when it came to someone hurting Marinette, Nino, or one of her sisters. Chloe was in for the storm of her life. 

Even though she didn’t want there to be more issues because of her, Marinette knew she had to be supportive. Alya was not acting like herself, and Marinette knew that Nino still looked dazed, and shuffled along to keep up with Alya. Luka was the most levelheaded and sensible out of everyone, but she knew she couldn't always rely on him to be that in every situation. So in the end, as they walked away from le Zinnia, Marinette knew it was up to her to keep her best friend from murdering her roommate. 


	6. Coffee Cups

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang goes to confront Chloe, and we learn some of the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! I just want to give a big happy birthday to my friend Liz! She's the one who dragged me into this hole, and it's only fitting I upload a chapter on her birthday (not really, it just so happens to fit with my upload schedule but y'know).

It was supposed to be a twelve minute walk to le Camelia. Alya led the way, and carried herself with an unnervingly self-possessed gait. Luka followed after Alya swiftly, his long legs struggling to meet her brisk strides. Marinette was in the back of the pack, and was barely trudging along with Nino. So far, the bespectacled man remained silent. He walked in a stupor, and nothing seemed to snap him out of his trance. Sweat trickled down Marinette’s brow, neck, and shoulders. Oh, how she wished she had showered this morning. 

But despite it all, they had to go on. Because of Alya’s silent demands, they had to get to le Camelia, and  _ fast _ . Everyone was too tired to object, but the real reasons why everyone kept going was to see Chloe get her just desserts.

To Marinette, it seemed like forever, but at last they found the cafe. Le Camelia was a coffee shop that had cream-colored walls and dark wooden furniture. The white and black tiles on the floor were shaped to look like flowers, and the counter tops were a beige marble. Behind the counter were several shelves that held bags of coffee beans, disposable cups, cans of whipped cream , and various machinery. The barista on duty had curly red hair, freckles, and a birthmark on the side of his cheek. He was thin and lanky, and while he wasn’t Marinette’s type, she still thought he looked attractive.

Alya swaggered her hips and walked up to the counter. She slammed her hands down, and asked, “Is Chloe Bourgeois here?” 

The barista, whose name tag read  _ Matej _ , flinched at Alya’s hostility. “No, she’s not,” He said. “She couldn’t work today because she’s-”

“Because she’s  _ what _ ?” Alya interrupted. 

“Alya, please,” Marinette put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Let me handle this.” She looked over at Matej again and cleared her throat. “Excuse me, we really need to speak with Chloe. Do you know where she is?”

The barista peered at Marinette more closely. “Say, you look familiar. Aren’t you one of Marcel Choquet’s designers?”

Marinette couldn’t help but smile. “I am,” She spoke proudly.

“I knew it!” Matej smiled. “I work part-time as a photographer. Did you make that ball gown out of bubble-wrap and balloons!”

Marinette laughed. “Yeah, that was me! I made that. I didn’t know people actually liked it.” 

“Why wouldn’t I? It looked like something Lady Gaga would’ve worn!” 

_ Lady Gaga. _ Marinette had to admit she was looking at that singer’s outfits from her old tours for inspiration.  _ She was actually getting recognized! Her designs were being remembered!  _ This is what Marinette had wanted for so long. However, at hat moment she had a different mission to focus on. “Anyway, Chloe is my roommate, and we really need to talk. Is she here right now?”

“She’s not working today,” Matej said.

Marinette frowned. “But she told me she would be working today.”

“She is, but not at this job.”

“She has another job?” Marinette asked, her voice rising slightly in volume.

“Yeah...” Matej trailed off as he side-eyed the wall and back to her. “You knew that, right?”

“No.” And then it all clicked. All those times Chloe said she was covering someone else’s shift, it was all a lie. She was covering for herself. At her  _ other  _ job. Marinette looked over, and saw Alya was agape. Nino and Luka didn’t appear to be paying much attention to the situation at all. “So where is she?” Marinette asked.

“She works at Moanga.” Matej said. “I don’t know what store is or what she does there, but I just know she’s there right now.” 

Marinette nodded. “Thank you so much for your time, Matej.” She reached into her purse, pulled out her wallet, and handed him a few Euros. “For your troubles,” She spoke with a slight smile. 

Matej slowly took the money from Marinette’s hand and nodded in thanks. Marinette turned around and looked over at her friends.

“So?” Luka asked as the women joined them. “What did you find out?”

“Well, I found out that Chloe’s been lying to me,” Marinette spoke with bitter casualness. “Again.”

“That’s two strikes now, Mari.” Alya crossed her arms. “You have to talk to her.  _ Now _ .”

“And what good would any of that do?” Marinette asked.

“Oh right,” Alya snapped. “Because you’re just going to turn a blind eye and forget this ever happened.” 

“That’s not true!” Marinette spoke defensively. “I’m very upset she lied to me, and I’m not letting this go!”

Alya’s eyes burned holes into her skull. “But are you gonna tell her that to her face?” 

Marinette shrunk into herself. Involuntarily, she began to remember her past experiences with Chloe. When they were younger, Marinette had trouble standing up against her. The blond once made it her life mission to make Marinette’s life a living hell. Then in lycée Alya showed up and taught Marinette how to stand up for herself. And for a time, it worked. Marinette had put down her foot with Chloe and defended others against her many times. But that was when they were still bitter enemies. The circumstances at hand were very different now. 

“I _want_ to,” Marinette said flatly. “I really do. But I-”  
“But what?” Alya cut her off. “You can’t handle a confrontation?”

“Alya, cool it.” Luka spoke up with an uncharacteristic sharpness. “You’re asking Marinette to do something very difficult. I know they used to hate each other, but they’re friends now. Telling your friend that they’re in the wrong is a hard thing to do.” 

_ Thank you Luka, _ Marinette made sure to shoot her boyfriend an appreciative glance. 

“I get that, I really do,” Alya impatiently frowned. “But no matter what, I’m still saying something to that privileged bitch.”

An emotional heat rushed to Marinette’s face. “Why?” 

“Because I’m fucking sick of my best friend being pushed around by dumb bimbos and jack-wagons!” Alya almost shouted. 

Matej shot their group a worried glance and Marinette sighed. “Fine,” she spoke sourly. “We’ll go to wherever the hell Chloe is and you can tear her brains out.” 

“Perfect.” Alya looked over at Nino. “Babe, any objections?”  
Nino, whose eyes were still dazed, looked over in the direction of his fiance’s voice. “Where are we going again?” He asked in a drone-like voice.

“Moanaga,” Alya said. “Chloe also works there, apparently. Sounds like it’s a porn shop.”

Nino frowned. “I don’t want to go see my childhood bully working in a porn shop.”

Marinette cringed at the unwanted imagery in her head. “We don’t know if it’s actually porn!” She protested. 

“Well Nino, if there actually  _ is _ porn, I’ll buy you some.” Alya offered. 

Nino cleared his throat. “No need at all. I’m good.” 

Marinette sighed. There were some things she didn’t need to know about her friends’ relationship. 

A hand landed gently on her shoulder. “It’s almost time,” Luka whispered. 

Marinette shuffled her feet. “Right...” She spoke quietly.

He gave her an apologetic look. “Hey, I want to stick around and see what Chloe’s really up to, but...”

“I know.” She looked up at Luka, and planted a kiss on his cheek. “So what are you doing tonight-”

“ _ Mari _ ,” Alya had somehow gone ahead without Marinette realizing it. 

She sighed. “Text you later?”

Luka nodded as he planted a kiss on her forehead. “Sounds like a plan to me,” He spoke with a smirk. He tipped his head in Alya and Nino’s direction, and then waved as he wandered off. 

Marinette’s heart ached as she watched her beloved walk away. But she didn’t have time to mourn his lack of presence for long. She looked and saw Alya and Nino were already a block ahead of her. Marinette sighed, and ran to catch up with them. 

The only noises Marinette heard for the next several blocks were the beeping of Alya’s GPS and other people’s conversations. She glanced down over at Alya’s phone, and saw they were another three minutes away. “So, what do you think Chloe’s doing at this store?” Marinette asked, hoping to diffuse the situation.

“Well, what does it make you think of?” Alya prompted.

“I’m... Not really sure.” Marinette admitted. “Could it be like a pasta place?”

“Mari, it has to be a porn store!” Alya argued. 

“Babe, why do you keep insisting on that?” Nino asked begrudgingly. “None of us want to see, let alone imagine  _ it. _ ” 

“It has the word ‘moan’ in it!” Alya protested. “It just sounds sexual.” 

“Dude, now you’re just pulling at strings,” Nino retorted. “It’s even in English.” 

“Then you explain why she’s not told anyone she works there!” Alya exclaimed. “This  _ has _ to be something shameful.” 

_ Chloe’s ashamed enough of being a barista, _ Marinette thought.  _ How much worse could this be?  _

Soon, they arrived in front of Moanga. The storefront was barren, and there were no advertisements or displays outside. There was a lit red sign and the windows were pitch black. On the door was a welcome sign, but the font was too generic to give away any clues.

“This is the point of no return,” Alya looked over at Marinette and Nino. “Who wants to go in first?”

Nino took a few steps, and swung the door open for the women. “You’ve led the way this far.” He spoke quietly.

Alya nodded, and walked through the doorway. Marinette anxiously followed her friend, and held her breath in anticipation. But then what she saw took her breath away.

It wasn’t a porn shop at all. In fact, it couldn’t be further from the truth. Moanga was a nerd’s paradise, and had comic books everywhere. Comic shelves on the walls, comic shelves on the floor, and comic shelves behind the counter. The contents of the bookcases appeared to vary upon location. A hanging sign above one section was labelled  _ Manga _ , another was labelled for  _ Children _ , another for  _ Visual Novels _ , and there were many more signs. There was an  _ Eighteen Plus _ section that had an arrow pointing to the far right corner of the shop. 

_ I guess Alya was right after all, _ Marinette thought. 

Despite how barren the outside looked, there were plenty of decorations of superheroes. There were cutouts of Chat Noir and Ladybug, and on the walls hung posters Batman, Superman, Spiderman, and many other superheroes. They even had Sailor Moon, My Hero Academia, and other anime decorating the premises. 

Despite the sales floor being spacious and several people shopping about, it didn’t take Marinette long to find Chloe. Her roommate wore a pair of dark-washed jeans and a white v-neck that showed off some cleavage. Around her neck she wore a Ladybug and Chat Noir lanyard, and on it were several superhero pins and buttons. Chloe leaned over a table with several comics scattered about on it, and was talking to a short, balding man who stared at her in awe.

“So, like, I totally recommend  _ this  _ series,” Chloe picked up an issue from a comic stand and showed it to him. “It features a farmer and his pet penguin battling the forces of evil! I know it sounds so dull, but trust me. It’s really,  _ really _ good. And I hate farms in real life.” She pushed her hair back, and Marinette saw a brightness in Chloe’s crystal blue eyes she had never seen before, let alone knew was possible. “This series is full of plot twists that you’d never see coming! It’s super exciting, and there’s lots of fantastic character designs! Plus, everyone is just  _ beautiful _ . It’s just, utterly ridiculous how gorgeous they all are! I’m honestly kind of jealous of how the heroine looks, like I wish I knew if she had an in-universe skin care routine I could follow! That’s just how pretty she is!”

_ This doesn’t sound like a job Chloe is embarrassed by at all,  _ Marinette thought as she stood by in astonishment.  _ In fact, it sounds like something she’s  _ genuinely passionate _ about.  _

“So... How many issues are there of this?” The man asked. 

“Six,” Chloe answered cheerfully. “They try to release an issue every two months, which usually has like five or six chapters in it.” She sighed longingly. “It makes me wish I had actual artistic talent, I’d love to make a comic of my own. But too bad, so sad.” 

“Guys, I’m so creeped out right now.” Marinette spoke quietly.

“You’re telling me,” Alya grumbled. “Can I-”

“ _ No _ ,” Nino and Marinette answered in unison. 

“Babe, I love you, but you will not ruin me watching my childhood bully work  _ here _ .” A light had come back into Nino’s eyes. “This is the best thing I’ve seen in ages.” 

They looked over at the man who had put Chloe’s recommendations into his arms, and watched him carry them to the register. Chloe scanned the comics for the customer, and handed them into him in a paper bag. She smiled as she ran his card, and gave him his receipt. The man smiled back at Chloe, and proceeded to walk away, smiling as he held his bag of new comics.

“Thank you, monsieur! I hope you have a wonderful-” Immediately, Chloe’s voice died in her throat when she set her eyes on her acquaintances. She quickly looked away, and started gathering the leftover comics. 

Alya walked up over to Chloe. “Excuse me, miss, I need some assistance.”

Chloe put on one of her fake smiles, and forced herself to meet Alya’s eyes. “”H-How can I help you today?”

The redhead crossed her arms. “Where can I find a story about someone murdering their best friend’s roommate?”

The blond’s eyes widened in fear. “Well, I can look in the back-”

“No.” Alya spoke sharply. “You’re not walking away from this,  _ Bourgeois _ .” 

Chloe struggled to appear even. “Well, I’m sorry to tell you that I’m totally busy right now. If you would like, you can catch me on my break-”

“Chloe,” Alya snapped. “We need to talk to you,  _ now _ .” 

The blond froze up. “My break’s in twenty minutes.” She spoke quickly.

“We can wait,” Alya said. 

“Super.”

“Awesome.” 

As the tense conversation ran on between the two women, Marinette looked over to Nino. He had perked some during the walk to Moanga, but he still looked visibly forlorn. “I can’t believe Chloe let her off so easily,” He said. 

“Chloe’s lost some of her bite after her mom disowned her,” Marinette spoke carefully. “It took her down a few pegs.”

Nino nodded in response, and kept his eyes on his fiance as she made her way back to them. 

Fire still in her eyes, Alya reached into a bookshelf and snatched a comic book. “What?” She spoke surly. “If I have to wait, I may as well find something to do.” All Nino and Marinette could do was nod. Soon, they all were overtaken by a heavy, tense silence. It was like an overbearing weighted blanket that threatened to choke them all. Like any awkward Gen Zoomer would, Marinette retreated to her phone. She opened up Instagram, and began to mindlessly scroll around. 

Through her feed, Marinette learned some new developments. Jagged Stone was releasing a new single in two weeks. Max was showing off yet another one of his inventions. Manon was preparing for her second year of college. Marinette paused her scrolling to cringe at  _ that _ one. And finally, Nathaniel and Marc were posting promotional images of their new Webtoon. It featured a trio consisting of a female protagonist and her two partners protecting their city of Reopolis. Unsurprisingly, as both the men revealed in their launch Q&A column, the comic was inspired by Ladybug. 

_ Why do people still give Ladybug all the credit when Chat was the one who defeated Hawkmoth? _ Marinette thought.  _ Ladybug and I don’t deserve all this recognition. If only they knew the truth.  _

Yet, she couldn’t blame her friends because no one in the world knew she was Ladybug. Before Marinette had the chance to like the post, she heard the sound of heavy footsteps. She looked up and saw Chloe dragging her feet towards them. Not meeting their eyes, the blond gestured to the trio to follow her. Alya, Nino, and Marinette followed Chloe back into the store, and she led them into a tiny room. In the center was a long conference room table, along with some old chairs. There was also a tiny fridge that was presumably and hopefully had water in it. 

“Are we allowed to be in here?” Nino asked as they sat down in the chairs.

“Normally? No, but today I’m the manager on duty.” Chloe grabbed a water bottle from the fridge, untwisted the lid, and began to effortlessly drain it. She awkwardly looked over her shoulder, and took a deep breath while finishing her long swig of water. Wordlessly, she grabbed three more bottles, and rolled them down the table to her guests. Marinette grabbed one, and instantly sighed upon her first sip. She struggled to casually sip it, and eventually gave into gulping the entire bottle of water down. Yes,  _ this  _ was what she so desperately needed. But her solace was brief. The room was uncomfortably quiet, and no one dared to be the first person to speak. Despite her earlier declarations of war, Alya remained quiet. Nino silently sipped on his water, and stared down at the table. Chloe, of course, sat in the hot seat and stared at her feet. That meant everything was up to Marinette.

She cleared her throat. Thankfully, Alya took that as a cue to speak. “Chloe, we know the truth now.” She said.

Chloe still refused to meet her eyes as she sat down in her chair. “So?”

“So? I’m seething with anger!” Alya snapped. “What the hell! How could you hide something like this from us for so long?” 

“Don’t you have more important things to worry about?” Chloe asked as she started to twirl her ponytail around. “Cesairé, you’re about to become a Lahiffe. Shouldn’t you be freaking out about centerpieces and napkin colors again?”

“Actually, I’m hyphenating,” Alya corrected. “But beside the point. Yes, I’m getting married in four days, and I’m freaking out, but I just found out your date is the person who ghosted all of us six years ago.” She got up and got into Chloe’s face. “You  _ know _ how I feel about Adrien. You know he deeply hurt  _ two  _ of the most important people in my life. And yet, you invited him to Nino and I’s wedding under a fucking pseudonym.”

Chloe rolled away from Alya in her chair. “It’s not a pseudonym, it’s his real name now-” 

“I don’t give a damn what his name is now!” Alya exclaimed as she took another step. “I refuse to have someone at our wedding who will make people uncomfortable!” 

“I know it was a risk, but-”

“Chloe, you can’t make excuses this time,” Nino stood up to stand beside Alya. “Not when you have  _ both _ of us to answer to.”

“I...” Chloe trailed off, and her shoulders slumped. 

“Why didn’t you say anything about him?” Marinette asked aloud. She forced eye contact as she too made her way towards Chloe. “I get that he didn’t want anyone to know, but why? We all were so worried about him.”

“ _ We _ ?” Alya repeated sharply. “Marinette, he broke your heart! Why do you even care?”

“I don’t know,” Marinette said, simultaneously wishing she knew the answer herself. “But after all these years, we deserve to know the truth.” 

After a few moments, Chloe spoke up in an uncharacteristically hushed whisper. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you.” She began. “But he was so scared when I found out. He never wanted anyone to know what happened to him.”

“If he didn’t want you to know, then how did  _ you  _ find out?” Nino asked. 

Chloe stared off into space for several more tense moments. “It’s a long story, but I’ll tell you my side. Marinette already knows but...” She took another deep breath. “God, this is so embarrassing. I never wanted you to find out, especially like this, but-”

“Girl, for the love of God, just get on with it,” Alya snapped.

Chloe made a disgruntled face at the redhead. “For a long time I’ve been a part of this online group dedicated to honoring the memory Ladybug and Chat Noir.” 

“We know _ Chlo _ ,” Alya rolled her eyes. “You’ve been cosplaying Ladybug since we were fourteen.” 

“Well, yeah! But that’s different!” Chloe protested, rose flooding her cheeks. “Cosplaying Ladybug is different from interacting with her fans from all over the world!” 

_ I have fans on a global level? _ Marinette thought.  _ And some are still active? Why would they- No, focus, Marinette! We’ll think about this later!  _

“Anyway, I’ve been a part of this group for years, and I still talk to my online friends there.” Chloe said. “About two years ago, someone made a short film inspired by Ladybug and Chat Noir for their senior project. And well, Adrien cameoed as an extra.”

Marinette’s brain ceased to function. “What?” She asked aloud.

“But that doesn’t make any sense!” Alya exclaimed. “Why would he even appear in a short film if he wouldn’t want to be found?”

“...He probably did it for someone else’s sake.” Nino spoke softly. 

“That’s exactly it,” Chloe said. “I don’t know if anyone else recognized him, but  _ I _ did. Not that the film got much exposure to begin with, so that in itself it’s utterly ridiculous. Like, what are the chances of me finding out it was him? He was in like, three shots total! He barely got any screen time, and I still knew it was him! It hardly makes sense!” 

“You’ve known him since childhood,” Marinette said. “You would know if it was him even if he was covered in mud.” 

“I guess,” Chloe sounded unconvinced. “I really thought I’d never hear from him again, and here he is in some American’s  _ film project _ .” 

Alya crossed her arms. “So you reached out to him?”

“Well, of course!” Chloe said. “I immediately found his new Instagram. I sent him a DM, and asked if it was really him. He then blocked me.”

“Like any sensible person would,” Alya muttered.

“But I didn’t stop.” Chloe said. “So after that, I used my fandom profile to DM him. But this time, in my message I said that I didn’t tell anyone about him, and all I wanted to know was if he were okay. The first thing he sent me was  _ begging _ for my silence.” She paused for a moment. “And you probably won’t believe me, but Adrien has never begged me for anything. So, of course I’d agree to keep his secret. A few weeks pass, and it’s his Spring Break and he wasn’t doing anything for it. So I flew out there to stay with him for a few weeks.” A tiny, wistful smile formed on Chloe’s pale pink lips. “He was so happy to see me, it was like when we were kids again.”

“And then what?” Alya asked, her expression softening ever so slightly.

“We just talked about everything.” A listlessness tinted Chloe’s tear-filled eyes. “He couldn’t tell me everything, but he said that he left Paris because of his Dad.”  
Marinette was not at all shocked by that admission. As much as she had respected Gabriel, her high regard for him was only towards his fashion work. She always had thought he was an unsatisfactory father. 

“Did he say why?” Marinette asked.

“He just felt like Gabriel didn’t care about him in the way he needed to be.” Chloe glanced down at her bumblebee-themed nails. “His Dad basically prostituted him for money, and didn’t view him as a  _ person _ , never mind his own son. Do any of you remember the speedo incident?”

“Isn’t that when Adrien had to pose like one he’s to be painted like one of those French girls?” Alya asked.

“Yep, that’s the one.” Chloe said. 

“Wasn’t that also the one where it’s creepy since he was considered underaged at the time?” Nino asked.

“Ugh,  _ yes _ .” Chloe rolled her eyes. “It was so awful, I remember when that came out. Of course, I was too excited about seeing him done up all sexy to care, but now that I’m an adult it sounds so gross. Like, why would anyone want to sexualize a sixteen-year-old?”

_ Hopefully no one here will ever know that I bought five copies of the limited edition spread.  _ Marinette gulped.  _ At least I burned them all.  _

“That wasn’t his decision, you know.” Chloe nervously tapped her nails against the table. “He really didn’t want to do it, but his Dad made him to ‘promote the brand.’” 

“But I thought Gabriel wanted to protect Adrien,” Nino said as he drank more of his water. “Wasn’t that the whole point of homeschooling him?”

“That was his plan until he found a new one for Adrien,” Alya looked at Chloe. “Wasn’t it?”

“Sadly,” Chloe said. “My poor Adrikins felt so uncomfortable, and who could blame him?”

Alya grimaced. “For the record, I still hate him, but this is just disgusting.”

Marinette nodded, and suddenly felt more shame pulse through her.  _ For now I'm double checking my model’s records before I do any shoots like that.  _ She promised herself. 

“Is that why he left?” Alya asked.

“Well, that’s part of it.” Chloe wiped at her eyes, smudging her eyeliner in the process. “It was hard enough for him to just talk about that, so I didn’t push him.”

“Why didn’t he tell us about this?” Marinette asked in a quiet voice. “We would’ve understood.”

“He never talked about what was going on at home,” Nino pointed out darkly. “Of course he wouldn’t want us to know.” 

“So you know how he apparently withdrew from school on his own?” Chloe asked. “Well, his dad still had to sign him out, but it was still Adrien’s decision. Somehow Adrien was able to get his dad to do whatever he wanted.” She began to fidget with her nails. “I never understood how, or why he got away with it. But whatever it was is why his dad left him alone.”

After a while, everyone remained silent as they mulled over Chloe’s story. While she seemed to be telling the truth, something still bothered Marinette.  _ Chloe said that she knew only a part of the story, so there’s still more she doesn’t know. _ She thought.  _ Did Adrien lie to her about this? No, that wouldn’t make sense. Why would he risk blowing his cover only to lie to her? He just probably didn’t tell her the full truth. I’m sure that’s it! Not that any of this matters, or anything.  _

Then another thought struck her. Adrien and Chloe reunited about two years ago. After Mayor Bourgeois’ affair with his secretary was revealed, Chloe’s parents got divorced.  _ How close were those two events to each other? _ Marinette struggled to remember.  _ Was it three or four years ago? No, it happened around the time when we were preparing to graduate from university. That was almost three years ago. Chloe lived with her mom for a while in New York, before- _

Marinette gasped aloud. A timeline she didn’t want to acknowledge at first formed in her head. It fit too well. She didn’t like how well this fit. “Chloe...” She spoke aloud. “Does any of this have to do with that argument with your mom?”

“Of course it did, Dupain-Cheng.” She spoke so quietly that Marinette could hardly hear her. “Wouldn’t you if your mom couldn’t remember your own name?” 

Marinette cringed. At one point, Audrey Bourgeois wanted to take her back to New York over her own daughter. She started to pay attention to Chloe’s ranting again. 

“During that trip I realized that I’m no different than he is.” Chloe wiped away another tear. “When I burnt my bridges with Daddy and went to live with my mom, I saw for the first time just how little she cares for me. When she was in Paris, she never wanted to be around me. When I realized I was a prop, I lost it, and you all know the rest.” She grabbed a tissue and blew her nose and it sounded reminiscent of a trumpet. “Don’t get me wrong, cheating is super disgusting, but I get now why Daddy did it. He didn’t feel like Mom loved him, so he sought love from elsewhere. I just saw it too late.” 

“So do you regret cutting ties with him?” Marinette asked a few moments later.  
“No,” Chloe stood up from her chair. “I don’t. Before I saw Adrien, the idea of existing as my own person outside my parents never crossed my mind. Now... I can do whatever I want.”

“So then why are you working so many jobs in the first place?” Nino asked. “Do you have any other goals to work towards besides independence?”  
“I do have one...” Chloe sounded out. “I want to go to university.” 

Marinette struggled to not laugh. Alya, on the other hand, let a few giggles slip out. “That is the funniest thing I’ve heard all day.” She said. Nino shook his head.

Chloe pouted. “I know, I know. Chloe Bourgeois, the girl who never studied a day in her life wants to go to university! No wonder you think this is a joke!”

“It’s not that at all,” Marinette began. “I’m just surprised, you always hated school.” 

“I do,” Chloe sulked. “But school is a necessary evil to be successful and prove your parents wrong.”

“Well, hooray for capitalism,” Nino said deadpan.

“So what are you thinking of doing?” Marinette asked.

“Not sure yet,” Chloe admitted. “I don’t even know if I’ll be able to afford it. I’ve applied for scholarships, and surprise, I keep getting turned down. So, I have to pay for it with my own money, and it’s super hard. Like, if I even said the word debt around Daddy, he’d act like I said a slur.” She took a deep breath. “But I can’t give up on this. I can’t rely on everyone to pick me back up anymore, so I need to become reliable myself, for myself.” Everyone went silent again. “What?” Chloe spoke irritably. “Are you going to laugh at me again?”

“No, rather the opposite.” Nino said as he adjusted his glasses. “I’m still taken aback that you want to be independent.” 

“It’s going to take a while,” Chloe gritted her teeth. “And I hate how long it takes, but someday I guess I’ll be grateful for my struggles.” She looked at Marinette. “Umm... I know I don’t thank you enough, but-”

“You don’t need to say it,” Marinette said. 

“Shut up, I’m still saying it.” Chloe retorted. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng, we should’ve never been roommates, let alone friends. I was a total bitch to you for ten years. Not only did you forgive me, you also took me in and helped me become a better person.”

“You give me too much credit,” Marinette opened another water bottle and sipped on it. “I’m not that great.”

“Shut up Marinette,” Alya said. “If you talk down about yourself one more time, I will  _ end _ you.” 

“Harsh, but she has a point.” Nino agreed. 

“I still don’t understand any of this.” Chloe said.

“I don’t either,” Marinette admitted. “But I think in your case, you showed a genuine desire to change, and you were actually  _ trying _ , and that happened when we were still in school. But since we moved in together, you’re so different now. Don’t get me wrong, some days I still want to stab you, but you’re not nearly as stabbable as you used to be.” 

“Good God, now  _ you’re  _ giving me too much credit.” Chloe’s cheeks flushed red. “I still suck.”

“Agreed,” Alya said. “No offense, Chloe. I’m still mad at you for what you did this week.”

“None taken,” Chloe said. 

“And I’m uncomfortable for Marinette’s sake,” Nino chimed in.

“Okay I get it guys.” Chloe rolled her eyes. “I’m still a bitch! But you know what? I’m not where I want to be, but at least I’m not where I used to be.” 

“And that’s good enough for now.” Marinette pointed out. Nino was silent, but nodded to himself. Marinette didn’t get why, but she let him be. 

Soon Chloe’s break ended. As Marinette hugged Chloe goodbye and parted ways with Alya and Nino, she briefly reflected on their conversation. Everything really has changed since lycée. Chloe, a former bully, was slowly becoming a better person.  _ The Chloe from when we were kids would have dangled Adrien’s secret around me like a carrot.  _ Marinette thought.  _ She never would have kept it so well-hidden. She did all of this for his sake just because he asked. Perhaps there’s hope for her yet. Maybe I made the right decision to forgive her after all. _

And then there was Adrien, who’s past actions created long-lasting hurt. The fact that he managed to check two names off that list made Alya’s rage even  _ more _ formidable. Marinette made a mental note to make sure Alya didn’t run into Adrien. But of course, she knew that was inevitable. However, Marinette silently prayed that the meeting wouldn’t occur for a very long time. 

_ If I was able to forgive Chloe for all of her hurt, would I be able to do the same for Adrien?  _ Marinette shook her head.  _ Why would I even think of that? I still want nothing to do with him... Right?  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again my lovelies! That chapter was a whopping 5,602 words! The longest one I've written as of yet. I hope everyone enjoyed it! While this was more of an exposition dump, I hope someone found it entertaining. 
> 
> Just a heads up for the next chapter, it's already finished! However, it's going to be a rough one for all of you. I hope you can't wait for the heartbreak!
> 
> If anyone is interested in doing a Q&A ABG, please let me know! I'd be happy to answer some non-spoiler related questions.


	7. Dreams of Smoking Butts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette goes up on the rooftop, and witnesses not one, not two, but three intense conversations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies! This is my attempt at writing a more intense and emotional chapter. Yeah, Chapter Six is a cakewalk compared to what you hear in this. It's a little shorter than last chapter, but I hope you all enjoy it!

Steam sang to Marinette’s pores while she stood under the shower head. She loudly sighed in relief. She really _ needed _ this. She joyfully scrubbed away the dead skin with her loofah. Once she was done, she continued to stand still under hot water for another ten minutes. Soon, the mirror fogged up, and mist clogged up the tiny bathroom. She could barely see anything, and that’s when she knew she had to end it. Reluctantly, she forced herself to turn off the water faucet. She reached and wrapped a pink towel around her torso before stepping out of the stall.

When she knew she was sufficiently dry, Marinette walked over to the mirror, and wiped way the condensation. Although the reflection wasn’t clear, she was still able to look at herself. While her face was still round, her cheekbones had become more prominent. Her eyes appeared narrower, and even her freckles had mostly faded away. Whatever it may be, Marinette Dupain-Cheng definitely didn’t look like a teenage girl anymore. 

_ Is this how Adrien saw me last night? _ She wondered.  _ Was he surprised? _

Like the excess of water in her hair, Marinette shook that unwanted thought away. Since everyone else was either at work or had other responsibilities, she realized something important. For the first time in a while, she had time to herself. And given how the past twenty-four hours went, she needed it. Even though it was hot, it was too nice to stay inside. Marinette reached into the medicine cabinet and grabbed the sunscreen bottle. She poured a healthy amount into her palms and rubbed the lotion into her arms, legs, shoulders, chest, and her face. When she had finished patting in the lotion, Marinette quickly threw on a tank top and a pair of shorts. 

As she headed out of her apartment, she reached for her sunglasses, a pair of sandals, keys, and headed towards the elevator. Marinette slipped inside, and pressed the top button. There would be no phone, no sketchbook, and no one to talk to. She was determined to sit in the sun and do absolutely nothing. Marinette waited patiently as she rose into the air, and was relieved when the elevator stopped moving. The doors opened, and she stepped out outside.

Despite the apartment building’s size, the rooftop was fairly spacious. White lounge chairs and wicker furniture were scattered about, and some of it surrounded a tiny fire pit. One of the neighbors also left their telescope up on the roof. Sometimes, Marinette and Luka would use it during the clearer sky nights. Currently, the only other person on the roof was a figure in the distance. Marinette couldn’t tell who they were, but it didn’t matter to her.

Until suddenly, it did. Marinette squinted her eyes, and realized she saw Adrien with a cigarette pressed against his lips. “Of course he has to be here,” Marinette muttered under her breath. But she wouldn’t let that matter. She walked over to the lounge chairs, plopped down, and stretched her body out. She placed her sunglasses over her eyes, and stared out at the spacious blue sky. And then Marinette felt a rare moment of peace. Despite the constant feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, and anger, momentarily it was all gone. She breathed out and stretched out her limbs once more. She breathed in, and out, and in, and out. Then out some more, and in again. Slowly she allowed her senses to soften, and to fade away. 

"Pull it together, kid!" A high-pitched voice shouted.

Marinette groaned.  _ Why can’t I have any peace?  _ She wondered.  _ Or is this just some weird dream? _

“What?” A lower voice, presumably masculine-sounding, spoke. “Would you rather I start binge drinking again?”  
“Of course not! But you can’t do this every time your anxiety gets bad!"

"Then what do you want me to do?" The man spoke irritably. "Go meditate and sing kum-ba-yah?"

"Almost anything would be better than this!” The high voice exclaimed. “It's bad enough you go through two packs a day, but you just chain-smoked five death sticks!"

"It’s my decision, Plagg.” The male snapped. 

_ Plagg? _ Marinette groggily thought.  _ That sounds way too familiar, but why can’t I remember who he is?  _

“And look at where _those_ decisions have gotten you.” Plagg said. “Let’s just face it. You don’t need to use Cataclysm to destroy bridges, because you’re doing a great job of doing that as yourself!” Plagg paused for a moment to add, “And that’s why I think you should get a new psychiatrist.” 

_ Wait, he’s Chat Noir’s kwami! _ Marinette remembered. Then, she froze.  _ My kitty. He’s here. Why is he here?! I thought he was gone!  _ She peeled open her eyes, and saw a black small figure floating in midair, and saw their teeth were biting back an insult. The man wore a black hoodie and had his hood up. While he didn’t wear his signature black skintight costume, Marinette still knew it was him.  _ His butt still looks as nice as ever, _ She forced herself to admit. In her younger days, she always thought Chat Noir was attractive. However, he was never an option because then Adrien had her heart. Marinette didn’t know if she wanted to hug him or punch him in the face.

“Why?” The man took another puff of his cigarette. “So I can end up in the psych ward again?”

“Not every medication has those effects,” Plagg said. “That psychiatrist was very apologetic and offered to prescribe you something different.”

“Even so, the last thing I want to think about right now is my health.” Chat Noir spoke bitterly. “There’s other things I should fix first.” 

“Oh right, like your shit show of a relationship with your dad.” Plagg said. “I still can’t believe that after everything that happened, you wanted to come back here.”

“Father doesn’t know I’m Chat,” Chat Noir said. “So I should be fine.”

“But he’s Hawk Moth!” Plagg reminded him. “He ruined so many people’s lives, including yours! Why would you want to see him again?” 

“I don’t know.” Chat Noir went quiet. Marinette strained her ears to listen harder, but she only heard mumbling from the man. 

“Well, too bad! You have to make up your mind about this.” Plagg said. “You don’t have much more time.”

“You think I don’t already know that?” Chat Noir’s shaking voice suddenly rose. “If I knew how to say goodbye to my supervillain father and ask him what the fuck, I would! So if you know what to do, please, do tell me. Oh wait! You don’t know either!”

“Look, I’m sorry this is happening to you, but I can’t tell you what you should do.” Plagg sat on Chat Noir’s shoulder. “Even though you’ve made bad choices lately, I trust you to make this one. No matter what you decide to do, I know that you’re not a bad person.”

“Ladybug would beg to differ,” Chat Noir spoke harshly. “And who could blame her? I betrayed her.” 

“If she were you, she would’ve made the same decision you did,” Plagg said. “But that’s not the only reason you came back right?” 

Marinette thought she saw one of his hands wiping at his face. “Do you think they’ll ever forgive me?” He spoke hoarsely.

“I don’t know,” Plagg’s voice softened. “It’s going to take a lot to patch things up with your friends. Especially when you can’t tell them the truth.”

“I just wish I knew a way to fix everything.” Chat Noir said.

“I know,” Plagg spoke apologetically. “But focus on what you can fix now. Figure out what you’re going to say to your Dad when you see him tomorrow.” 

“But what if-”

“He’s not going to die yet,” Plagg cut him off. “The news reports said that he’s clinging to life, but just barely. You have to pull it together, Adrien.” 

Chat Noir nodded, and let out a long sigh. At some point, Marinette had drifted back off to a dreamless sleep. When she opened her eyes again, Adrien was back, still holding his cigarette. While that black hoodie looked familiar, Marinette put it out of mind while colliding with the concrete. “Shit!” She cursed while rubbing the back of her head.

“Ah!” Adrien cried out while putting out his cigarette. He rushed over, looking down at Marinette with a look of concern. “M-Marinette, it’s just you.”

“Yes, it’s just me.” She spoke as she forced herself back up onto her feet. 

Adrien still looked uneasy. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine,” Marinette spoke firmly.

“Oh.” Adrien looked away. “When did you get up here?” 

“A while ago,” Marinette answered, still rubbing the back of her head. Luckily, there wasn’t a bump, and she didn’t have a headache yet. 

“Oh.” Adrien’s face fell. “Do you need me to leave again?”

Her facial cheeks tightened. “No, you’re fine.” She stretched her lips. “You don’t need to leave.”

“Are you sure?” 

For the first time since his arrival, Marinette allowed herself to fully inspect Adrien. Unsurprisingly, he was even more gorgeous than when they were teenagers. His jaw had become chiseled, and his cheeks were scruffy with an unshaven stubble. His physique was thin and limber. But yet, there were flaws to his appearance. His eyes no longer had that playful spark they once held. Instead, it had been replaced by exhaustion and weariness. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his skin was pale. Marinette had a feeling it wasn’t just from traveling, or the recent news about his father. She realized she was fighting back the urge to ask why, and internally slapped herself. She was supposed to dislike Adrien and not want anything to do with him. Yet, here she was, worrying about his health! How Marinette wished she didn’t care.

“I’m sure,” she said. 

He nodded, but didn’t look convinced. His long, nimble fingers tapped anxiously against his thumb. Marinette looked down and noticed the amount of cigarettes by Adrien’s feet.

_ One, two, three,  _ she counted in her head. She looked over at the one Adrien had hid in his clenched hand, and saw smoke coming from it. “Do you do that a lot?” Marinette blurted out.

“What?”

She pointed down at the cigarette butts. “That.” 

“Sometimes,” Adrien shifted around uncomfortably. “Why do you ask?”

_ If only I knew the answer to that question, _ Marinette thought resignedly. “No reason, really. I’m just glad you’re not doing that in the apartment.”

He laughed uneasily. “Would never dream of it.” He looked down at his shoes, and an awkward silence hung in the air between them. Although Adrien put out his cigarette, he looked like he wasn’t going to leave. And Marinette wasn’t about to let him ruin her sun tan. 

_ Marinette, for the love of God, say something! _ She told herself. 

“I never got the chance to thank you for last night.” Adrien said, unable to meet her eyes. “So, uh. Thanks.” 

“It’s not a problem,” Marinette spoke curtly. She pictured this same man as a young boy, struggling with the same father who was about to pass.  _ Why would he ever go back to his abuser?  _ She wondered. _ And why do I want to know why? _

“But it’s caused some problems,” He pointed out. 

“While this is true, Chloe and I talked, and we’re fine now.” Mostly fine, anyway. Forgiveness was in the works, but Marinette was just glad that Chloe was trying to be a supportive friend. Even though it was towards their first love. 

“It doesn’t matter,” Adrien’s tone softened. “So I thought about it, and I decided that I’m not going to stay with you anymore.”

“What?” 

“Well, I was looking at Airbnbs, and I found one that looked nice.” Adrien said. 

“Why?” Marinette asked. “You didn’t need to do that.”

“Marinette,” Adrien laughed nervously. “You don’t need to lie to me anymore. I know when I make other people uncomfortable now.” She opened her mouth to refute, but he moved his hand. “It’s okay if you are, I wouldn’t blame you if you were.” 

“Okay Adrien, you’re right, I’m  _ very _ uncomfortable around you,” Marinette spoke defensively. “But it’s not because of what you’ve done recently.” He opened his mouth to speak before she added, “And I don’t want to talk about that right now.”

He nodded. “I suppose that’s fair.” He turned away from her, and the air became cool and solemn. And then, Adrien spoke up in a hoarse, quiet whisper, “Is it too much to hear me say that I’m sorry?” 

Marinette remained silent. She prayed Adrien would get the hint. 

Unfortunately, he didn’t. “I wish I handled everything so differently now,” Adrien had a tightness to his voice, and his face was hidden from view. “I wish I could tell you why, but it’ll just sound like I’m excusing myself for being an asshole. None of it was fair to you. I should’ve never-” 

“Adrien, please.” Marinette struggled to sound firm. “Just stop talking.” 

“S-Sorry...” He trailed off. 

“I should go,” Marinette rose up from her chair. “I should finish altering Alya’s dress. And m-make a salad.” She thought she saw Adrien’s head nod, and she thought that was the end of it. 

She began to walk away before a quaking hand gripped her shoulder. “Please, Marinette, I’m sorry-”

Marinette smacked Adrien’s hand away and took several steps back from him. “What is it about the word stop you don’t understand?!” She cried out. “I don’t want to talk about this, ever!”  She moved away, and saw Adrien’s glassy eyes shrink in horror. He pulled his hand back to his side, and clenched his fists. 

Marinette was about to walk away when she heard hurried footsteps. “What the fuck are you doing?!” Her insides turned to dust.  _ Oh God.  _

“Alya?” Adrien sounded out. 

The redhead stomped over and protectively put an arm in front of Marinette. “Stay away from my friend, creep!” Alya was about to say more, but then her eyes narrowed as she glanced over Adrien. Soon, Marinette saw that a different type of anger settled into her friend’s icy stare. It frightened her. “You,” Alya spoke vehemently. “You stay the fuck away from her!” 

“What are you doing here?” Marinette forced out.

“You forgot this earlier at the comic store,” She flung the charm bracelet into Marinette’s hands. “But boy, am I  _ glad  _ I came up here now.” She glared at Adrien. “At last, you grace us with your presence,  _ Agreste _ .” Adrien still remained silent. Alya grit her teeth. “What? You’re just going to remain silent, huh?” She groaned. “Go figure. You always became passive whenever you got called out on your bullshit.”

She stepped away from Marinette and began to encircle Adrien, her fiery brown eyes scalding his head. Marinette’s voice was lodged in her throat. She drifted away from the unfolding events and flung herself into the depths of her memories. Many images flashed through her mind, but one stuck out in particular.

One day six years ago Marinette and the rest of their class spent the time before their first period figuring out how to get a hold of Adrien. Marinette couldn’t remember everything they did, but she remembered how unnerving the silence was. Everyone had just stared at Alya’s laptop while she typed away. The only person who spoke was Max, and it was only when he thought of another search query. 

The silence was then broken when Misses Bustier came into the room with an uncharacteristic lack of energy. Their teacher dropped a stack of untidy papers to her desk, and then went back to fix the door that was ajar. When she turned to face the class, a somber frown was plastered onto her pale pink lips. They must’ve parted at some point, Marinette hadn’t been paying attention, but everyone had moved back to their seats. 

But then Misses Bustier said something that Marinette couldn’t ignore. “Today I have received some bad news.This morning, Adrien has withdrawn from school.” 

“What?” Marinette spoke aloud.

“But how!?” Nino shouted. “No one knows where he is! His dad reported him missing! How could he-”

“Nino, it wasn’t Gabriel’s decision.” 

And then it hit her, hard. A dagger had latched itself in Marinette’s already vulnerable heart. Without another thought, she had rushed out of the room to go cry in a bathroom stall. Tikki, whose earrings she still had been wearing at the time, tried to comfort her all to no avail. 

Marinette wasn’t sure how long she was in there, but when she had pulled herself together enough to return to the classroom, the first thing she noticed were Alya’s eyes. They were unreadable, but full of a deep, dark emotion that Marinette was unable to transcribe. Nino, who she expected to be at Alya’s side, was nowhere to be found. 

“Are you okay?” She asked as Marinette approached her desk.

“No,” Marinette leaned onto Alya. “I don’t understand what I’m feeling, but all I know it’s just... Bad. Very, very bad.” 

Alya wrapped her arms around Marinette. “I know,” she said. “I understand.”

“But why?” Her lip quivered. “Why would he do this? Adrien... Our Adrien! He would never do this! He loved school, he loved being here with all of us! This... It’s so unlike him! He would give us a reason, he would’ve said something-”

“How do we know that?” Alya sounded unnervingly calm. “For all we know, that was the real Adrien.”

“How could you say something like that?!” Marinette exclaimed. “Adrien loved school, and he loved us as much as we loved him!” 

“Marinette, it’s okay,” Alya’s voice still remained level. “You don’t need to defend him anymore.” 

A few tears escaped from her eyes. “W-What do you mean?”

“I know what happened that day.” Alya’s voice too began to shake, but it was with a different emotion. “I know what he did to you.” 

“He was just u-upset and o-overwhelmed!” More hot tears rolled down her cheeks.

“It doesn’t matter how he felt, it’s about how he treated you and made you feel.” Alya bit her teeth. “What kind of person would do that to someone they care about?”

“I...” And at that moment, Marinette had cracked. A symphony of sobs erupted from her, and she knelt down into the crook of Alya’s neck. A warm, gentle hand patted her back, and more ugly tears rolled down Marinette’s face. Alya had guided Marinette out of the classroom, and together they stood in the hallway while Marinette cried what remained of her heart out. 

“You know I’m going to kill him for this, right?” Alya spoke quietly.

“W-What?” Marinette looked up from Alya’s shoulder, to look at her friend.

The amount of hate Alya displayed on her face was alarming. If Marinette didn’t know any better, she thought her friend had been akumatized. Alya’s eyebrows were wrinkled in fury, her eyes showing a dark, menacing flame in them. “No one leaves my best friend to cry in the rain,” She spoke tightly. “I’ll never forgive him. And if I ever see him again, I promise to make him pay.” 

Finally, after all these years, Adrien was getting what was coming to him. Once she had gotten over the initial shock of his departure, Marinette too gave into hatred. In the depths of her hurt, Marinette longed for his suffering. She wanted him to feel the same pain that he had caused her. After all this time, she thought she would be satisfied. But as Alya berated and tore into him, Marinette realized that couldn’t be further from the truth. A despicable expression decorated Alya’s face, and Adrien had paled and looked on the verge of tears. This, Marinette knew, wasn’t what she wanted anymore.

“Alya, I’m sorry.” Adrien’s voice wavered. “I hope you know-”

“To hell with your apologies!” Alya snapped. “I’m surprised I’m not seeing smoke come out of your ass!” 

Adrien’s posture continued to descend. “I understand why you don’t trust me, I completely get it! But please, you have to believe me that I’m-”

“ _ Shut up _ ,” Alya cut off harshly. “No one here believes that you’re actually sorry, so why bother trying?” 

“Alya, please,” Marinette spoke up quietly. “Stop doing this.”

Her friend broke out into hysterical laughter. “Are you fucking kidding me right now?” She spoke darkly. “For years, I have told you that if I had the chance, I’d gladly tear this asshole a new one!” 

“I know,” Marinette said. “But this still isn’t right.” 

“I repeat, are you kidding me, Mari?!” Alya exclaimed. “Do you really think I could ever let this go?”

“No, and I understand why you’re doing this!” Marinette’s voice broke. “But this isn’t right! This won’t make anything better!”

“Then what do you expect us to do?” Alya asked. “Sing kum-ba-yah and braid each other’s hair?” 

“Alya, please back down.” Marinette begged.

“I can’t!” Angry tears leaked out of Alya’s eyes. “Marinette, I know you want me to be the bigger person that you see in me, and I wish I could see that too! But I can’t do that for you!” 

“You don’t need to keep fighting for me.” Marinette said. “Just leave it between Adrien and I.”

“This isn’t just about what he did to you!” She glared at Adrien and stepped closer towards him. “Do you have  _ any  _ idea how much you hurt everyone when you left?! I know we weren’t that close, but I still considered you my friend!”

“Alya, I-”

And “I don’t give a fuck that you hurt  _ me _ , Agreste,” Alya snarled. “You could stab me thirty dozen times, and that would pale in comparison to what you did.” She bit down on her lip in vain to hold it together. “You hurt so many people. Our classmates were devastated, sure, but you hurt two of the most important people in my life. After everything you’ve said about how much you love them, you Marinette and Nino through  _ hell _ . They were so worried about you, and you abandoned them without a reason! That’s not how real people love, Adrien. If you really cared about your friends, you would’ve never left.” 

“That’s bullshit!” Adrien shouted uncharacteristically enough to make Marinette flinch. “I never stopped thinking about any of you! I left Paris without saying goodbye because of how much I did care!” His eyes became misty and his voice became thick with emotion. “I never wanted it to turn out this w-way, but I had no choice! I had to leave!”

“Then why didn’t you say goodbye?” Alya asked menacingly. “Huh?”

“Because...” Adrien trailed off. “Because it wasn’t safe anymore!”

“Safe for who?” Marinette’s lip quivered. 

Adrien froze, and his breathing hastened in quick intervals. “I can’t tell you,” He spoke in a small voice. “I’m sorry. I know I hurt a lot of people. I’m reminded every day by my stupidity and selfish behavior, and I would do  _ anything _ to take everything back. I know nothing I can do will ever make it up to you, but-”

“Then why do you keep trying to apologize when you know it’s not enough?” Alya asked. 

“I just...” Adrien choked on his words for a moment, and hid his barely-less-than-perfect face from view. 

Her own vision blinded by tears, Marinette looked over her shoulder. Nino stood agape as he stared at the trio. He rubbed his glasses against his shirt, and placed them back on his nose. He fidgeted with the bracelets on his tanned arms, and kept his wide eyes on the group. “Adrien?” 

The man in question wiped his face on his sleeve before facing the newcomer. “Nino?” 

“You’re here,” The other man awkwardly laughed as he slowly stepped everyone. “It really is you.” 

“Who else would I be?” Adrien forced a laugh, but he sounded more like a dying frog.

“I dunno,” Nino’s expression remained neutral, but his twitching lips showed that he struggled to contain himself. “That one weird fan that cosplayed you? Your creepy cousin? Maybe another freaky fanboy? A doppelganger? The list is infinite, bro.”

“Why are you here?” Alya reached for Nino’s hand.

“Babe, please. I heard you shouting bloody murder from downstairs,” Nino entwined his fingers with Alya’s. “I want you to wear a white dress for Saturday, not an orange jumpsuit.” 

Adrien looked away. “Aren’t you going to chew me out too?”

“Nah,” Nino playfully nudged Alya. “I think my girl did a good enough job of that.” 

“So what are you going to do?” Adrien made another pitiful attempt at a laugh. “Punch me in the face?” 

“Hmm, tempting.” Nino said. “But as great as that sounds, it’s not gonna fix anything.”

“Then what will?” Adrien’s voice rose shakily. 

“I don’t know,” Nino said.

Adrien stared down at the ground, again. “So, umm. A bird told me you’re getting married this week. That sounds nice.”

An odd smile crossed Nino’s lips. “Yeah, it is.” He looked over at Adrien again. “How are you doing?”

“Not great,” Adrien admitted. “Dealing with a parent’s impending death, jet lag from an international fight, and ongoing emotional turmoil.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Nino said. “Is there anything we can do?”

Before Adrien can object, Marinette forced herself to speak up. “A-Adrien, it’s okay if you go back into the apartment and rest. Chloe is still at work, and I don’t plan to go back in for awhile.”

“Are you sure?” Adrien and Alya asked at the same time. 

Marinette nodded. “I don’t have a problem with it. Besides... I think you need it.” 

Warmth colored Adrien’s pale cheeks. “Oh, well. Thank you.” He forced out with a cough. “Well, in that case, I’ll go lay down for a bit.” He awkwardly shrugged, and limped away from the group. He muttered something of a goodbye, before exiting the room. 

Immediately, Alya tore her hand away from Nino’s. “Nino, what the hell was that?” 

“Yeah, what was that?” Marinette echoed. “Are you okay? This morning you were really upset when you even found out when he came back.”

“I know,” Nino sighed. “And I don’t understand it either, but it just felt like the right thing to be nice to him.” He fidgeted again with his bracelets. “The dude could really use a friend that’s someone besides Chloe right now.”

“So you’re just going to let everything go and be his friend again like that?” Alya asked sharply.

“ _ Fuck no _ ,” Nino wiped the sweat off of his brow, and wiped his hand onto his shorts. “He’s far from that right now.” He gazed at Alya, and put a hand on her shoulder. “But I can’t ignore what Chloe told us today, and I think it puts some things in light.”

“I don’t care what the reason is,” Alya spoke surly. 

“Babe, I know our big day is in a few days, but I should spend time with Adrien.” Nino said. “Or at least keep him company for a little bit.”

“But you need to be around for the planning-” Alya began.

“Oh please, I’m not dragging him to any of that. I’m not  _ that _ pissed at him.” He looked at Marinette, and back at Alya. “Neither of you have to stand by my decision. I’m not going to leave either of you, especially Marinette, alone with him. If this goes to shit, feel free to tell me ‘I told you so’.” 

“So why are you bothering with this at all?” Marinette asked.

“Right now this isn’t about being the better person.” Nino took a deep breath. “It’s about seeing someone in pain and not letting them drown in it. I mean, his dad’s dying. Gabriel was an abusive piece of shit, but he’s still his father. Hell, my dad’s a piece of shit, but even I’d be sad if he died. I just can’t let someone deal with something so heavy alone.” A tiny ladybug landed on his finger and Nino showed it to the women. “At least, that’s what I think she would do.”

_ Would it really be the Ladybug way?  _ Marinette pictured her kwami, her warm blue eyes full of wisdom and encouragement. Marinette could almost hear Tikki agreeing with Nino. “Are you sure about any of this, Nino?” She asked. “That’s a lot to put on someone, especially for you right now. I could do it-”

“I just got done saying I wouldn’t let you be alone with him,” Nino interrupted. “And I intend to stand by that.” 

Marinette nodded, forcing herself to accept her friends terms and conditions. While she had a bad feeling about what was to come, for now, she decided to ignore those feelings. Again.

_ I really hope you’re right about him, Nino. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And you've survived Chapter Seven! I really hope you all liked it. Please leave a comment below to let me know what your thoughts are! And as always, thank you for reading A Bouquet of Garbage!


	8. Disgusting Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's three days until Alya and Nino's wedding, and everyone is working on making the wedding decorations.

“Easy...” Marinette murmured aloud while pressing down on the trigger. Slowly, a clear steamy glob dripped out, and she pressed the tip against a mint-colored rose. When Marinette lifted the hot glue gun upward, she pushed the rose against a fern leaf. Then, she held her creation up to inspect it. Marinette shook her head, and pulled the leaf to the right and held everything up again. When she was satisfied, she temporarily set the boutineer aside, and reached for a lily of the valley stem. She grabbed some scissors, made a few snips, and watched the buds fall like fallen petals. She cradled the buds in her free hand while grabbing her hot glue gun again. 

“Hey, we’re here!” A high-pitched voice cried out with the doorbell. Marinette lost her grip, and burnt her hand with the hot glue gun. After biting down on her lip in pain, she looked up to smile at the new arrivals. Rose was just as cute as ever, but in recent years the baby fat had faded from her cheeks. Her blond hair was cut in a soft bob, and her large blue eyes somehow still sparkled with energy. Meanwhile, it took a moment for Marinette to recognize Juleka with her newly dyed lilac, pale pink, and purple balayage. 

Rose immediately rushed to hug Marinette. “Sorry we’re late, Mari!” 

Marinette eagerly returned the pleasantry. “Not a problem, Rose. It’s always great to see you.”

Nino looked up from his decoration and gasped. “Whoa!” 

Luka, who was also working on a floral arrangement, glanced over at Rose and Juleka, and rose from his chair. “Nice hair, sis.” He grinned.

“Yeah! It looks really good.” Marinette smiled encouragingly. 

Juleka smiled back. “Thanks guys, I’ve wanted to try this for a while. I’m glad you all like it.”

“It suits you,” Nino said.

“It really does,” Luka nodded in agreement. “What does Mom think?”

“It totally caught her off guard at first,” Rose said. “She’s so used to the black that when we came by, she thought Juleka was breaking into her house!” 

Marinette giggled. “Does she at least like it?”

“Are you kidding me? She loves it.” Juleka playfully rolled her eyes. She pulled off her black jacket, and Marinette stared in awe of the tattoos that covered Juleka’s arms. She had a lot more of them than her brother, and she seemed to get a new one every few months. The most recent one was of a jade tiger with amethyst-like eyes. “All right, Nino. What do you need us to do?” Juleka asked.

“I dunno if you should be asking me that,” Nino spoke sheepishly. “Mari, what do you think they can help with?”

“How about you help me make the boutineers?” Marinette offered. “That, or you can help start on the four bridesmaid bouquets.” 

“Let’s do the bouquets then,” Rose sat down and loudly popped her knuckles. Marinette cringed. She always forgot that despite Rose’s petite build, she was unexpectedly tough. “So, where are the flowers?” The blond asked.

“Here,” Nino reached over for a giant stack of flowers and carried them over to Rose. Marinette looked down, and saw the  eucalyptus, lily of the valley, mint roses, fern, and the white berries in one giant bundle.  “We’ve not had a chance to sort them yet, but Marinette can tell you what Alya had in mind.”

Marinette nodded, and sat back down at the table with Rose and Juleka. “We just need to put these into four stacks, right?” Juleka asked. 

“Right.” Marinette nodded. “Alya said that she wanted mine to be different, so she wanted to put some of the peonies that are part of her bouquet into mine.”

“Has her bouquet been made yet?” Rose asked.

Nino shook his head. “Nah. Alya wanted to make hers herself, but she’s not had the chance.”

“Then let’s start making the bouquets for Alya’s sisters.” Juleka began to sort the flowers into bundles, and carefully counting each one to make sure everything was even. “So where are your parents?”

“They’re visiting my grandma,” Marinette said.

“Remind me to thank them again when they’re back,” Nino said. “And also, thank you for asking them.”

“You don’t need to keep thanking me Nino,” Marinette said. 

“But they’re also making the cake, and the macarons, and pretty much everything else.” Nino frowned. “I feel like they’re  _ too  _ too much for us.”

“Again, don’t worry about it!” Marinette spoke firmly. “That’s just how my Papa and Maman are. Just let them help you.” 

Rose looked around the room. “Where’s Alya?”

“She’s upstairs, she had to make a few phone calls,” Nino said. 

“So how’s she been doing with all this?”

“Alya is, well...” Marinette bent down to whisper to the other women. “She’s been a bit stressed.”

“But isn’t it that normal?” Rose asked. 

“I think so,” Marinette said. “But the recent events haven’t helped.”

“Are you referring to Adrien?” Juleka said.

Marinette nodded. “Yeah... That kind of makes things hard to process.” She then paused and looked over at Juleka. “How-”

“Luka told us.” Juleka said. 

“So, Rose, how’s work going?” Marinette asked loudly.

“Delightful!” Rose said. “We’re nearing one of our big charity events for the year, and the planning is going great!” 

“That’s good,” Marinette said, thankful that the topic change was sticking. “I’m glad to hear that.” However, she looked over, and saw Nino and Juleka exchange looks. Marinette looked back down at the flowers, and continued to rapidly sort them.

Several minutes later, the door opened and in walked Alya huffing and puffing. “I am  _ never _ getting married again,” She took off her glasses and momentarily sighed into her hand. When she was done regaining some of her composure, she looked up and tensely waved to Rose and Juleka. “When did you two get here?”

Rose looked up from her flower piles. “About twenty minutes ago.” 

“Shit, I was on the phone for that long?” Alya pinched at her nose. “All right then.” She walked over and glanced down at the flower bundles. “ _ Shit _ .” 

Rose frowned. “What’s wrong?” 

“We ordered the wrong color!” Alya pulled at her messy bun, and hair fell everywhere. “The peonies are supposed to be peach, not coral! God, how did I not notice?!”

“We ordered them online, what do you expect?” Marinette heard Nino mutter.

“But aren’t they still in the same color family?” Luka asked.

Alya looked over at Luka with a death glare. Meanwhile, Nino saluted him. “Are you kidding me?! Our wedding colors are mint and peach! This definitely isn’t peachy!” She held up the wrong flowers in question and brandished them in his face.

Even with the flowers right in his face, Luka didn’t flinch. “So?” He asked. “I still don’t see the difference.”

Before Alya could strike Luka again with her flowers, Juleka placed a calming hand on her shoulder. Momentarily, Nino looked relieved. “Ignore him,” She said. “My brother’s an idiot when it comes to color theory.” 

“No I’m not,” Luka said. 

Juleka rolled her eyes. “Remember the  _ last  _ time you helped me dye my hair?”

Luka’s eyes widened. “Jules, don’t-”

Meanwhile, Rose’s eyes lit up even more than usual. “Oh, this is a good story!” She whispered to Marinette.

“So, one day I decided I wanted to give my hair periwinkle streaks, right?” Juleka asked. Luka averted his eyes from his sister. “So I ask Luka, the grand master of color, for his help. Instead, he gave me his  _ lavender  _ dye.” 

“So?” Luka’s voice began to sound uncharacteristically flustered. 

Marinette’s chest warmed up.  _ This is so cute.  _ She thought. 

“It clashed  _ so  _ badly,” Juleka laughed. “And it was so bad that Rose and I were up all night fixing it.” 

“It took a lot of color corrector,” Rose giggled. “But it was all in good fun!” 

“What am I going to do?” Alya asked aloud. And then, she fell to the table like a bag of bricks. “Oh God-Oh my God, I’m totally being a Bridezilla right now. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck! I’m going to die.”

“You’re not going to die,” Marinette went to comfort her friend with a friendly shoulder pat. “No dying is allowed.” 

“But I’m fretting about dumb thing like flower colors!  _ Flower colors _ .” Alya buried her face into the table again. “None of this should matter. No one else will remember what the flowers look like, let alone care! So why do  _ I _ care so much?”

“You’re only doing this once, so of course you want it to look good.” Luka said. “Because once it’s out there for the world to see, you can’t take it back.” 

Marinette nodded in agreement. “You planned all of this by yourself, so you’re already putting a lot of pressure on yourself.”

Alya turned her face to the side. “Right.” Her frustration was still very apparent as she continued to speak. “But I completely underestimated how much work it’d be. It may have saved a ton of money, but it’s costing me my sanity. I should’ve made these floral arrangements weeks ago.”

“Babe, don’t blame yourself.” Nino walked over and knelt down by Alya to make eye contact. “You shouldn’t have listened to me when I told you it’d be fine.” Alya remained unresponsive, and continued to stare out into space.

“Well there’s nothing we can do about that now,” Rose began. “So how about this? Can you give me your receipt? I can go to the store and exchange these.”

“Oh my God,” Alya wiped at her eyes. “Rose, you don’t need to do that.”

“But I want to help!” Rose said. “Besides, I haven’t really been able to contribute as much as I’d like, so please, please let me do this!”

“But-” Alya began to protest.

“Babe, stop being stubborn,” Nino crossed his arms. “Let them help us.”

“So can I?” Rose asked.

“Yes, please,” Nino said. “But we only have the electronic copy of the receipt, so we’d have to print it out, and I’m gonna need a computer for that,” He looked over at Marinette. “Would your parents be okay with me using theirs?” 

“It shouldn’t be a problem, it’s just a sheet of paper.” Marinette shrugged. “I can show you where it is upstairs, but first is everyone else okay with Nino and I leaving for a bit?”

Juleka nodded. “We can set up the bundles while we wait.” 

Marinette got up from her chair, and led Nino up the stairs into her parents’ office. The computer desk only had a small monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse. On the desk were pictures of Marinette throughout her childhood. She caught herself smiling at them, and barely had noticed Nino sliding into the chair.

“This isn’t password protected, right?” He asked.

“I don’t think so.”

Nino nodded, and in a few seconds, the computer had loaded. “So,” He began while opening the web browser. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine,” Marinette laughed, her volume being just a bit too high. “Really! I’m good. I’m so good. So, so good! Super, even! Super, duper  _ great _ !” Her eyes scurried around the room as she started to talk faster and faster. “Wait, why are we talking about me?! You’re the one who’s getting married in a few days! Aren’t you-”

“Marinette, I can only deal with one woman being out of her mind at a time,” Nino spoke bitterly. “Just give it up already.”

“Stop what?” 

“This behavior,” Nino turned away from the computer screen to look at her. “You’re not yourself, and it’s worrying me.” 

“Me?” She laughed again. “Why would you need to worry about me? Lil’ ole Dupain-Cheng? Again, I’m better than fine! I’m super, duper, fantastically, fanatically _ great _ ! Excellent, even!” She turned her head to face the door. “Your would-be-wife is the one falling apart! Shouldn’t you be out there comforting her?!”

“As much as I’d like to, I can’t do anything for her right now.” Nino looked back at the computer screen. “So, look, Marinette. We’ve known each other for a very long time. I’d say you’re probably my oldest friend.”

“As you’re mine,” Marinette said.

“Exactly,” Nino fingers clicked against the keyboard as he typed out the website address. “So if something’s wrong, you’d tell me, right?” 

“Of course I would!” Marinette spoke with an edge.

“So you would tell me that your increased nervousness has nothing to do with Adrien, right?” Nino asked. 

“Why are we bringing him up again?” Marinette failed to not sound irritated. 

“Mari, please.” His eyes begged her to be honest.

A light bulb went off in her head. “You could’ve found the receipt in your emails,” She spoke slowly. “Online purchases always send out the order confirmations.” 

“Mari, please.” Nino softened his tone. “I just want you to be honest. If not for yourself, do it for me. How you really feel about him?.”

“I...” Marinette trailed off, completely taken aback by the question. “I really don’t know.” 

“Okay, different question.” Nino paused. “When you think of Adrien, what do you feel?”

She closed her eyes and pictured the blond in her mind. His smile, his laugh, his radiance. Then she pictured his lies, his deceit, and his anger towards her. “I feel angry, hurt, betrayed, and sad all at once,” Marinette began. “That much I know. But ever since he came back, I’ve been confused. I feel almost...Concerned about him.” 

“Of course you’d be, you’re not a heartless person.” Nino said. 

“But why?” Marinette asked. “Why do I care about him? He put us through so much, Nino! Before all this, whenever I thought about him, I hoped he was suffering. Now I see that he is, I want it to stop! I don’t want him to hurt anymore! I should hate him, and I want to hate him, but I can’t!” 

After a long pause, Nino gently placed a hand on Marinette’s wrist. “So... Do you think that means you’re still in love with him?”

At that moment Marinette discovered a picture she hadn’t noticed before. On the windowsill was a picture of Marinette, Adrien, Nino, and Alya during their final year of lycée. They had been working on a project together at the Dupain-Cheng’s kitchen table. Alya, who sat between Adrien and Marinette, had wrapped her arms around their shoulders to pull them closer together. Although Adrien visibly looked off-guard, he still looked irritatingly perfect. Marinette, meanwhile, was visibly flustered because her face was touching Adrien’s. Meanwhile, Nino sat on the other side of the table, completely unaware of what was happening around him, and gave the camera a big thumbs up. 

It took Marinette hours to recover after the picture was taken, and she didn’t speak to Alya for three days afterwards. Suddenly, her cheeks puffed out as she recalled the humiliation.  _ Papa’s gonna get it next time I see him for having this. _ Then, she wondered why Adrien and Chat Noir wore that same black hoodie and smoked cigarettes. Immediately, she put that thought out of mind. She could only allow herself to be in deep denial about one thing at a time. And now, she had to stop. 

She stroked the picture frame with her finger tip, and felt the glossiness of the glass. Somehow, it soothed her. “Do you think I was?” She asked quietly.

“That’s not for me to say,” Nino said. “But I know you cared a great deal about him.”

“I did, but it wasn’t love.” Marinette gritted her teeth. “Whatever it was, it was so shallow.” 

“Love comes in all shapes and forms, or something like that,” Nino rubbed the back of his head. “I dunno, I read some article about it when I was high last night, so the details are hazy.”

“Then tell me this, Nino.” Marinette’s voice rose. “Is love breaking into Adrien’s house and watching his perfume advertisements fifty times in a row? Is love remembering Adrien’s exact schedule, and trying to make out with a wax statue of him? Just admit it! I was a total creep! If the genders were reversed, Adrien’s family would’ve filed a restraining order against me a long time ago!” She buried her face in her hands. “I was obsessed with him! Being obsessed with someone isn’t real love, it’s just a grand delusion!”

“...Yeah, you were in pretty deep, my dude. Now that I look back, you’re right. It was out of hand, and pretty freaky, if I have to be honest.” Nino licked his lips. “But that’s the combined faults of Alya, I, the rest of our friends, and your parents because we kept encouraging you to act like that. You didn’t know any better because no one stopped you.” 

“It doesn’t matter.” Marinette lifted her face from her hands. “If it weren’t for the fact Adrien had no friends before he met us, he would’ve hated me.”

“But you’re still avoiding the question, Marinette.” Nino said. “What do you feel now?” 

Sometimes, Marinette would wonder what her true superpower was. As Ladybug, she could create, mend the broken, and beat the damned. Yet, as Marinette, she wasn’t nearly as powerful. But perhaps, she had her a superpower of her own, denial. And she had been abusing that ability for far too long. 

“What’s wrong with me, Nino?” She asked in a small voice. “Why do I feel this way? I shouldn’t care about him!” Her voice cracked, and she stopped for a moment. “If it was love, I have no reason to feel that way for him after everything we’ve been through. I know what love is now. I love and I want to be with Luka! And I know that without question because our love is as clear as music note and as sincere as a melody! And if he wanted, I’d happily become his wife! But...”

“But what?” 

“I’m so confused Nino,” She cried. “I want to keep thinking I hate Adrien, but I don’t think that’s true anymore, nor maybe I never did. I just told you I was obsessed with him, but now I don’t know. Nothing is making sense. Maybe I do love him. And if it’s truly real, then it’s disgusting. And I don’t want any of it to be real. Yet I’m still worried about how much he smokes and how little he seems to care for himself. I want to fix his home life, and fix everything that happened between us! I know it’s bad for me, and I know it’s unhealthy,” She sniffled, and reached for a nearby tissue box. “But I can’t do it! No matter how much I try, I just can’t stop loving Adrien!” She immediately covered her mouth to hide the ugly sounds that burst through her lips.

Nino remained frozen and speechless while Marinette regained her composure. At some point, she thought she heard something fall outside, but she was too absorbed by her emotional turmoil to care. When she was at last somewhat stable, she felt a hand on her shoulder. “I’m really sorry Marinette,” Nino shrugged awkwardly. “I shouldn’t have pushed you like that. This...Just sucks.” 

“No shit,” She forced a laugh.

“To be honest, I don’t really get what you’re feeling, but I think it’s normal to continue loving someone after they’ve hurt you. Whether that’s healthy, I dunno, but you don’t beat yourself up over it.” Nino got up out of the chair and briefly hugged Marinette. “At Christmas last year my Mom told me that despite how much she says she hates my dad, she still loves him,” He spoke gently as he let go. “She said it’s because without him, she wouldn’t have Chris and I, but I dunno. It’s probably more complicated than that.”

“Nino, your dad slowly broke your mom’s heart,” Marinette stared at the floor. “Adrien came in like a wrecking ball.” 

He patted her on the back. “Heartbreak comes in many forms, my friend.” 

“Great.” Marinette muttered aloud. She grabbed another tissue again, blotted at her eyes, and took a deep breath. 

“Are you good now?” Nino asked.

“I guess,” Marinette sounded out. “Please don’t tell anyone what I told you.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Nino winked. 

“I mean it,” Marinette tossed the used tissue into the garbage. “Not even Alya can find out.”

“You’re asking me to lie to  _ Alya _ ?” Nino shook his head. “Never mind the fact I’m about to marry that mad woman, you’re asking me to play a very dangerous game.”

“Please Nino, just until the wedding.” Marinette said. “I’ll tell her afterwards.” 

“Do you promise?” Nino said.

“I pinky swear.”

Nino scoffed. “What are, five?”

“Shut up,” Marinette held out her tiniest finger. Nino laughed, and he too held his out. Their small digits shook on it, and they both smiled back at each other. 

“All right, we should get out of here-” Nino began. 

“Wait.” Marinette placed a hand on his shoulder. “Before we go out, there’s something I want to ask. You’re getting married in three days. How are  _ you _ doing?”

He was hesitant for a moment, and then cleared his throat. “Y’know, despite everything, I think I’m okay,” He began. “I dunno why, the very idea of marriage is terrifying. Like, I’m committing myself to another human for eternity, it should be overwhelming. I grew up with divorced parents who hated each other, what if that happens to me? Before, I used to think that, but now I see things differently. My dad was a shit person, but plenty of other good people break up because of miscommunications. Alya and I do our best to communicate, even when it means telling each other something the other doesn’t want to hear. And it’s all right because at the end of the day, all I truly care about is being with her and her happiness. And I know she feels the same way, even when I royally piss her off.” He paused, and rubbed the back of his head. “Is that a good thing?”

“I think it is,” Marinette hugged Nino. “Even though you don’t necessarily feel stressed now, is there anything I can do with the wedding?”

“Normally, I’d say no,” Nino looked down at his hands guiltily. “I know you have your hands full with helping Alya, and dealing with Agreste bullshit, but...” 

“But what?” 

“I really,  _ really  _ shouldn’t be asking this,” Nino muttered. “Especially after what you just told me.”

Marinette’s shoulders slumped. “What did he do now?”

“Adrien called earlier asked if I could go to the hospital with him tonight.” Nino fiddled with the doorknob. 

A bad feeling creeped into Marinette’s stomach. “Okay? What about it?”

“I don’t feel comfortable being alone with him.” Nino failed to meet her eyes. “So, I uh, was wondering if you would... Come with?”

“Nino, you literally promised me yesterday you wouldn’t let me be alone with him, much less the same room as Adrien,” Marinette spoke deadpan. “And now you want me to go with you to the hospital to support him?”

“I know it’s a really shitty thing to ask, but you’re way better at comforting people than I am.” Nino said. “Even when they don’t deserve it.” 

She crossed her arms. “And what would I get out of this?”  
“My eternal love and appreciation?” Nino spoke waveringly. “And also a lifetime supply of favors.”

Marinette raised an eyebrow. “What kind of favors?”

“Well, for starters I can get you some entertainment connections for your next runway gig. I can talk to Luka for you about when he will  _ finally  _ put a ring on it, and-”

“OkayyoucanstoptalkingnowNino.” Marinette stammered. “Ugh, fine. I can’t believe I’m.... Fine. W-We... Have a deal. But only on one condition.” 

“Anything, what is it?”

“We only stay with him for an hour,” Marinette said. “And not a minute more.”

“Just that?” Nino grinned. “Wow, I thought you were gonna ask for some expensive gaming station.”

“Oh yeah, Nino, about that...” Marinette trailed off jokingly. 

“Stop,” Nino cringed. “This wedding is gonna take forever to get out of my bank statements.” 

“Oh, sorry,” Marinette said. “But you will buy me one some day, right?”

“Now I see why you and Alya are friends,” Nino shook his head.

The two of them shared another laugh before walking back into the room. Alya rushed over to Marinette and laid her head down on her shoulder. Marinette gently patted her friend on the back in an attempt to soothe her.

“Mari, run through the list again with me, please.” Alya spoke quietly. Marinette thought she forced a nod, and pretended to listen as Alya listed stuff off. She looked over and caught Luka’s eyes, but saw him look away. For some reason, a heaviness flooded through her chest. Yet, despite it all, Marinette decided to continue her facade, and hoped that it would stick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies! Today's chapter was originally supposed to be less intense than the past two chapters, but whoops. That didn't happen.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed today's chapter! It's personally not my most favorite, but things will start to pick up again plot wise next chapter. I hope you'll stick around for next week!


	9. Melted Ice Cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Nino go to the hospital with Adrien.

_ I can’t believe I’m doing this.  _ Marinette thought while she stared at the back of a car seat. Nino sat adjacent to her and stared down at his phone. She turned to face out the window, and watched the city street roll by. There were so many buildings, people, vehicles all over the place. Yet, she was bored of it all. She glanced down at her phone, and saw it was a few minutes past six.  _ We only have to do it for an hour, we only have to do it for an hour, we only have to do it- _

The cab suddenly stopped. Marinette looked outside the car window, and stared in awe as she got out. The burgundy apartment building looked newer, and definitely looked lavish. Marinette looked around and noticed how the apartments all faced a small courtyard. In the grass knoll’s center were a few oak saplings planted in a line. Each unit’s front door had white pillars on either side of the entryway. As Marinette went up the surprisingly steep stairs, she caught herself gripping the iron railing. When she and Nino made it to the landing, they stared back at a black door with a silver door knocker. Nino shook his head and forced the metal to collide with the wood. 

_ How did Adrien afford this? _ She wondered.  _ I guess it doesn’t matter. _

Soon, he opened the door. Adrien’s eyes weren’t as puffy, and his skin had regained the luster it previously lacked. He still wore neutral colors, and wore long sleeves and pants that covered every inch of his body. Yet, she knew it was still the same Adrien. And almost immediately, Marinette felt her heart grow flustered. The rhythm was almost intoxicating and made her head spin. She struggled to recall when the last time that happened.  _ Nononono! Why is this happening?!  _ Then she remembered the conversation she and Nino had a few hours ago. Marinette’s face reddened.  _ Nino, you’re lucky I love you. _

“Hey-” Adrien began before he noticed Marinette. Looking confused and perhaps disappointed, he looked back over at Nino. “I didn’t know you invited her.” 

“She used to really look up to your dad, so I offered.” To Nino’s credit, his bluff sounding plausible. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Oh, no. It’s fine.” Adrien quickly skirted past Marinette. “Sorry, visiting hours are going to end in an hour and a half, and it’s at least a twenty minute walk there.” 

Marinette nodded, and focused on the oak trees. She watched them sway in the gentle breeze, and saw a few leaves spiral onto the bright green grass. 

“So, how are things?” Adrien asked awkwardly as they walked.

“Well, I think everything’s fine,” Nino said. “But Alya almost broke down over the wrong flowers being ordered. Hopefully I’ll make it to Saturday.” 

“Oh stop,” Marinette said. “She loves you too much.”

“You’re right, she’ll destroy my game consoles before she does that.” For a moment, the trio collectively cringed. Then Nino noticed Adrien’s face covering. “So, dude. I gotta ask. What’s  _ that _ for? It’s blazing hot outside. Doesn’t it make it hard to breathe?”

“I’m trying to avoid the inevitable,” Adrien spoke grimly. “If I hide my face, there’s less of a chance I’ll be recognized. I rather the people of Paris know I’m back on my own terms.” 

_ Wouldn’t that make  _ you _ more suspicious?  _ Marinette wanted to ask. 

Nino looked at Nino, still refusing to meet Marinette’s eyes. “That reminds me. Does Alya still write blogs?”

Nino shrugged. “Sometimes, why?”

“So she’s not written anything about me recently?” Adrien asked.

Nino stopped and blinked at Adrien. “Dude, what the fuck?” 

“What? That’s what she did in lycée.” Adrien spoke defensively.

“Yeah, which was _six years ago_.” Nino looked visibly upset, but somehow managed to control his temper. 

“Right.” Adrien sighed. “Sorry, forget I said anything.”

Finally, she made eye contact with Adrien. “My best friend’s getting married in three days,” Marinette stepped towards Adrien, and made sure to keep her glare level. “She barely has time to think, let alone write. And if she did, the last thing she’d choose to write about is  _ you _ .”

“I guess you have a point.” Adrien looked away. “Besides, it’s not like she has a high regard for me anyway.”

Nino nodded. “I’m not gonna disagree with you on that.”

“Well, of course. She tore me apart yesterday,” Adrien said. 

“And it’s not like she didn’t have the right to.” Nino pressed the button for them to cross the street. “I don’t agree with what she did, but that’s her decision, not mine.” 

Adrien stopped walking and locked eyes with his old friend. “So then why are you coming along?” He then shifted his intense gaze to Marinette. “Shouldn’t both of you hate me?”

“I don’t hate you.” Nino walked forward through the crosswalk.

Adrien rushed after him. “Why?” 

Nino laughed. “Don’t get me wrong, you’re not forgiven, but the option isn’t off the table either. It just depends.” Nino scratched the back of his head. 

“Okay, so since you seem to know more about this ‘forgiveness’ thing than I, what do you think I should do?” 

Somehow, Nino caught on to what Adrien meant. “I dunno, man, that’s up to you. Chloe said you left Paris to get away from your dad.” 

“Wait, Chloe...” Adrien trailed off. “How much did she tell you?”

“Not much,” Marinette said. “Mostly that your dad didn’t care about you in the way you would’ve liked.” 

“You haven’t exactly shared with us whatever’s going on with you and your Dad,” Nino added. “So it’s kinda hard to say.”

“I guess,” Adrien began to roll up his jacket sleeves. “But what do I even say to him?” 

“Well, I don’t think you should say something you don’t mean,” Marinette began. “A friend told me once that if it feels right, do it. I definitely don’t follow his advice very well, but I always offer it to others.”  _ Why am I helping him? _ She wondered. 

She thought a weird look crossed Adrien’s face while he glanced down at his phone. “We’d want to turn up here.”

Marinette looked ahead and saw there was a crosswalk that pointed in five different directions. “Okay, which way would that be?”

He squinted down at his phone. “I think we’d want to take the right diagonal path.” He sounded unconfident. 

“Let’s just try that first.” Nino led the way as they walked through the crowds of people. “If not, I know we’ll find it. Hospitals are easy enough to pick out, so we’ll know it when we see it.” 

Marinette nodded, and let Nino lead the way. Adrien stood a few feet away from her, and still looked unsure of himself. Dozens of pigeons flew overhead together in a cluster, cloud-like formation. The sun had sunk into the horizon and the heat was slowly beginning to dissipate, much to Marinette’s relief. The sky tinted a mix of pastel pinks, yellows, and blues. Marinette quickly snapped a picture on her phone.  _ I definitely will have to refer back to this later, _ She told herself. 

After a few more minutes of walking, Adrien broke the silence. “Would you forgive your Dads if you were in my situation?”

“Dude, I dunno.” Nino played with his bracelets. “That’s a hard question to answer. But like, for me it’d depend if he’d apologize, but I don’t ever see that happening. But if hell froze over, and if he had a good apology, then who knows.” He looked over at Marinette. “What about you? You’re the only one here who had a good father.”

Marinette paused to picture herself in Adrien’s shoes. She forced herself to imagine her lovely Maman being gone. That thought alone upset her. Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng were high school sweethearts who were and always have been ridiculously in love. Without a doubt, her Papa would never be the same. Marinette tried picturing her father do anything cruel or hurtful towards her. Nothing came to mind. She tried again, straining her brain, but again, nothing came. After more seconds of nothing, she found her conclusion. “There would never be anything to forgive. Sure, we have our disagreements, but that’s normal in a family. But I know he would never do anything your dads did. He treats my Maman wonderfully, and even now, he’s very protective of me.” 

Marinette thought she saw a weird look creep onto Adrien’s face, but she looked over at Nino for his answer. He smirked. “I should’ve known you’d give us a wholesome answer.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Marinette asked. She then focused her attention on Adrien. “It’s one thing for your dad to have you model his designs. But it’s entirely another for him to exploit your underage body for profit. If hell froze over and Papa did that to be, I’d never forgive him. But at the end of the day, your choice to forgive your Dad is yours, not ours.”

Adrien’s face paled, and Marinette immediately why. They had arrived at their destination. The hospital, like many others, was a large, formidable building. As they got closer, Marinette spotted two small fountains positioned on either side of the entryway. They walked in, and saw how cold, expansive, and white the interior was. Monitors and signboards hung around in the atrium that guided people to various locations. Adrien headed towards the receptionist counter. A young woman with dark skin and frizzy ringlets sat at a chair, staring down at her notebook. Marinette thought she saw a doodle of a cat and some peaches, and were surprisingly detailed.

“Hello,” Adrien began. “We’re here to see Gabriel Agreste. Can you tell us what floor he’s on?”

“Only family members are authorized to see him,” The receptionist said, still not looking up from her doodling. 

Adrien’s eyes scurried around the room before he pulled down his mask. “Does this change anything?”  
The nurse looked up and her jaw dropped. “A-Are you really-”

“Yes,” Adrien spoke flatly. “I am him. And you won’t tell anyone that, all right?” 

The receptionist quickly nodded. “Of course. Are those your friends?”

“They’re here for support,” Adrien said. “Can they be authorized?” 

“Yes, they will be.” The receptionist nodded. “Your father is in the hospice care unit, seventh floor, room 702.” 

“Thank you,” Adrien turned from the receptionist, and made large strides towards the elevator. Marinette and Nino followed, and remained silent during their elevator ride. Soon enough, they were in the hospice unit. Adrien veered left, and led the trio outside a door. Marinette noticed how much his limbs were shaking, and how his unsteady hand could barely hold a fist. He rang a doorbell, and sighed. 

A few moments later, a middle-aged woman walked out and stared wide-eyed at Adrien. Marinette only met her a handful of times, but she recalled that Nathalie Agreste always looked orderly. Even now, as her husband lay dying, did she look put together. Yet, upon closer expectation, Marinette could see it was all lies. Her makeup appeared uneven. A few hairs were out of place from her black-and-red plait. Her blouse and slacks looked wrinkled. Dark circles shone through under her tired eyes. Not that Marinette couldn’t blame her.  _ I’m sure I’d feel the same way if Luka ever was...Dying.  _ After the thought came and passed, she felt her stare soften.

“A-Adrien?” Nathalie spoke in a coarse, raspy voice. “Is that really you?”

“Well I certainly can’t be Felix,” Adrien looked away. “He wouldn’t disguise himself like this.”

Without another word, Nathalie rushed forward to embrace Adrien. Immediately, his shoulders tensed up. He reluctantly accepted the hug, and awkwardly let his hands limply hang at his sides. 

“So,” Nathalie spoke as she let go. “I presume you’re here to see your Father?”

Adrien’s face paled. “H-How is he?”

“He only has a few days left, so not well,” Nathalie said. “He’s on a ventilator, but he is somewhat conscious of his surroundings.”

Adrien looked down at his shoes. “Is that so.”

Nathalie put a hand on his shoulder. “Come on, we shouldn’t waste any more time. You probably have a lot you want to say to him.” She narrowed her eyes at Nino and Marinette. “Do you need to join us?”

“Oh, no, we’re just here for moral support.” Nino said.

“Y-Yeah!” Marinette stammered. “What he said. ‘Cause we’re all friends here! Totally, fantastic friends! Best buddies, even!”

Nathalie nodded, and led Adrien back into the room. She looked back at Marinette and Nino with a steely gaze. “Family only for now, sorry.”

“That’s fine,” Nino rolled his shoulders, and he visibly looked relieved. “Again, we’re only here for emotional support. So, is there like a lobby we can wait for Adrien in?”

“You walked past it on your way in,” Nathalie spoke curtly. “It shouldn’t be that difficult to find.” 

Nino nodded and seemed unperturbed by Nathalie’s shortness. “All right, well, we’ll go do that then.” Nino gently pulled Marinette along by the arm. She looked over her shoulder, and caught Adrien staring back at them. His expression looked odd, and it appeared he was looking right at her. Her cheeks reddened.

“We’re still only staying for an hour, right?” She asked quietly. 

“Of course, Mari.” Nino tugged at his shirt collar. 

_ I hope you’re not just saying that to be nice, _ Marinette thought.

It didn’t take them long to find the waiting area. Despite the hospital catering to the rich, the surroundings didn’t have much grandeur. The lobby was small and mostly empty. There was a cornflower blue rug under several light wooden chairs and a few coffee tables. Marinette planted herself down on the light grey cushion, and was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable it was. A few flower paintings were hung on the walls, and a finely woven tapestry hung behind a large television screen. Not many people were there, and those who were looked very withdrawn. 

For a while there was plenty of silence. Nino had gone to make a few wedding-related phone calls, so Marinette was left to her own devices. So, as many people her age would, she pulled out her device. She opened up Pinterest, and began scrolling through some suggested recipes.  _ Luka likes fish, _ Marinette thought.  _ Maybe I could make baked salmon for tomorrow night? Or wait, there’s that tilapia recipe with the lemon sauce! That looks really good too! Or there’s also that garlic butter cod one? Oh, no that also looks amazing!  _

And then, on cue, her stomach loudly grumbled. Nino, who at some point returned to sit beside Marinette, gave Marinette a weird look. “Dude, we just ate an hour ago.” 

“I know,” Marinette’s hands hid her reddening cheeks. “But I forgot to eat breakfast, and then last night I didn’t eat anything either, and-”

“Girl, stop starving yourself! I’m getting married on Saturday, and I can’t have you dropping dead when you walk down the aisle!” Nino paused and broke out into laughter. “How was my Alya impression?”

“Eh. Nine out of ten,” Marinette rose a finger to her lips. “Your intonation was spot-on, but you should sound angrier.”

“Like I’m about to kill you kind of angry?” 

“Exactly,” Marinette’s stomach growled again, but this time it was even louder.

Nino’s grin soon faded. “Seriously, man, don’t starve yourself. There’s nothing for you to be worried about.”

_ That you know of, _ Marinette retorted. 

“But to be completely honest, I’m kind of hungry too.” Nino admitted. “That salad or Rose bought from that deli was not enough for dinner.”

“Agreed, Marinette stood up. “I’ll go get us some snacks.”

Nino’s eyes widened. “You don’t need to-”

“It’s okay,” Marinette said. “But you’re paying.”

Nino scoffed. “But-” Marinette gave him the remember-you-still-owe-me look and Nino reluctantly dug into his pockets. After pulling out his wallet, he reached in to grab some change, and passed it to Marinette. “Fine, but if you get me an oyster pack then we’re no longer friends.”

She giggled. “Deal.” She left the lobby, and ventured down the hallway. It didn't take her long to find the vending machines. Strangely enough, they were right across from Gabriel Agreste’s room. Marinette flinched. _ It’ll be fine, _ she told herself.  _ You’re not going in there with them, so it’ll be fine. _ She narrowed her eyes as she studied her surroundings. Surprisingly, there was a baguette machine, a pizza machine, and even better, an ice cream machine.  _ The rich have it so well,  _ Marinette thought. 

“Look, Adrien.” A voice spoke clearly. “I know this is hard to hear, but you have to accept this-”

“You really expect me to accept your shitty apology just like that?” Adrien’s voice dripped with venom. “Really, after everything you put me through?”

“Your father was the one who made you do those activities-” Nathalie began. 

“But  _ you _ abided by his decisions,” Adrien snapped. “You still let him put me through that!”

_ Why can I hear this? I shouldn’t be able to. _ Marinette thought.  _ The walls aren’t paper thin, but I guess it is quiet out here.  _ She looked over at the vending machine again, and pressed down on the button to give her a small cheese pizza. And then, a pepperoni, and then a mushroom pizza.

“I know, and I’m sorry that I didn’t intervene,” Nathalie said. “And I wish I acted differently, but we can’t help what happened in the past.”

“Bullshit!” Adrien spat. “If you helped, it would’ve come at the expense of your comfort, and we both know that,” He growled and somehow, he sounded like a feral cat. “I knew this was a mistake, I should’ve never come home.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Adrien.”

Adrien was silent for several moments, or if he wasn’t, Marinette didn’t hear him say anything. Marinette pressed on the baguette machine to get herself two cream cheese baguettes. Soon enough, Adrien spoke up again, and Marinette barely heard him. “So why? What was it all for?”

“How would you know about any of that?” Nathalie spoke so quietly Marinette could barely pick out the words.

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to!” Adrien’s voice shook with rage. “Why did Father want Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculous?!” 

Marinette froze as a grand conclusion entered her mind, and it was one she didn’t like. 

Gabriel Agreste was Hawk Moth. The man she once revered as her idol, was her greatest enemy. Marinette shook her head.  _ I can process this later, _ she promised herself. 

But then a new thought crept in.  _ If Gabriel was Hawk Moth, then who was Mayura? _ Immediately, she connected the dots.  _ Nathalie was Mayura.  _ That was indisputable. _ I don’t like this. _ She decided. Yet despite it all, Marinette continued her eavesdropping.

“When you combine the powers of the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous, they give their user an extraordinary amount of power in the form of a wish.” 

_ Of course,  _ Marinette remembered.  _ Adrien wouldn’t know about that. Not even Chat knew what our Miraculous could do.  _ Then a new question raced into her thoughts.  _ But why would Adrien know about any of this? Did he actually pay attention to Alya’s LadyBlog rambling in school? Or is it something else?  _ For a moment, her vision tinted white.

“This doesn’t add up! Why would Father want something like that?” Adrien spoke flusteredly. “He was the most influential fashion designer in Paris! And it’s not like we weren’t loaded, either! Why would he-”

Marinette imagined Nathalie lowering her head. “He did for your mother.” 

“No,” Adrien’s breathing came out as a shrill gasp. “There’s no way, there’s no fucking way-”

“Adrien, I’m sorry, but-” Nathalie’s voice shook with desperation. 

“Stop!” Adrien cried out. “Just stop I can’t take this anymore! I would have done anything...” Marinette thought she heard his voice break. “Anything! To get her back. I miss her so much. But I would never, ever want it at a random person’s expense.” 

“Not even to bring her back?” Nathalie asked. 

And then, the door whipped open. Adrien rushed out, and his expression was hidden from view. She froze up and blinked, but by the time her eyes refocused Adrien was out of sight. Knowing there was nothing she could do at the moment, Marinette slowly crept away from the vending machines. Somehow, she didn’t manage to drop all the food on the way back. 

“Woah, Mari,” Nino stared down the stack of food in her arms. “Are you trying to burn a hole through my wallet?”

“Sorry,” Marinette sat down in the chair and set everything down beside her. “I wanted more snacks, so I bought some. I’ll pay you back when I get paid next week.” Nino stared at her and she sighed as she reached over to hold out a cup of ice cream and a spoon for him. “I got you the pecan-flavor.” 

Nino shook his head. “Okay. Even though it’s kind of melted, I still forgive you.” He grabbed the ice cream, and tore off the lid. “You okay Mari?” He asked while taking a spoonful. “You were gone for a while. Did you have trouble deciding what to eat?” 

Marinette forced herself to bite into her baguette. The cream cheese tasted so meaningless now. “Y-Yeah, that’s it.” 

And that, somehow, was the biggest lie Marinette Dupain-Cheng had told all week. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! This chapter I don't feel like was my best, but we're getting towards the climax of the story! Everything is truly about to heat up. 
> 
> I also wanted to update everyone on the update schedule of this fan fiction. Since I started ABoG, I've been uploading a new chapter every Wednesday. Currently, we're at chapter 9 of ABoG. With the chapter outline I've planned out, we're about halfway through the story! Which is very exciting! However, this could be subject to change with future chapters. Recently at work, I've been given additional responsibilities and thus are new expectations of me. As of this morning, I'm still transitioning into them, and thus I don't know the full details. With that in mind, I want to assert a warning that I may not have as much time to write as I previously did. We're about to have a lot more fight scenes, and those are something I particularly know I struggle with writing.
> 
> Nonetheless, I promise to do the best I can to abide by the precedence I've already set. However, please don't be surprised if updates aren't quite the same as what they were. 
> 
> Anyway, as always thank you for reading the latest chapter! I hope to see you all next week!


	10. A Mucky Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the face of recent revelations, Marinette meets some old friends again.

_ Nathalie is Mayura, and Gabriel is Hawk Moth. _ The thought refused to leave Marinette’s mind, and played back on a loop. For the past half hour or so she had been pacing about her room. Every couple of moments, she snuck a peak at her closet, and instantly looked away from it. Pace around, take a peak. Pace around, take a peak. Pace, peak, pace, peak. Those actions went on repeat for a while, but to her time had hardly passed.

Finally, some of the adrenaline rush had begun to dissipate. Marinette walked over to her bedroom window and whipped back the curtains. To her horror, the sun was up.  _ Damn it! _ She clenched her fists.  _ Was I really up all night? I thought it was only an hour! _ She let her body slide against the wall, buried her head in between her legs, and let out a muffled scream. When she had finished, Marinette reached for her phone. Its clock read  _ 7:47 _ . Chloe normally would be working, which meant the apartment would be quiet.

Despite not having slept in nearly twenty-four hours, she never felt more alive. Her foot tapped impatiently against the ground, and the index and middle fingers of her right hand flickered back and forth. Her ears were burning from within. Even with the fan on, sweat had drenched Marinette’s clothes. Her heart threatened to thump out of her chest, and no amount of deep breathing could soothe her overwhelming anxiety.

“Nathalie is Mayura, so she has to have the Peacock Miraculous!” Marinette reminded herself aloud for the eight-hundredth time. “If I can’t recover the Butterfly and the Black Cat, at the very least I try to get this one...” She looked up from her legs and stared down at her overly-animated fingers. They still tapped against the floorboards, and the sound was really starting to bother her. “But do I want this?” She asked herself aloud.

For better or for worse, finally there was a new thought in mind for her to obsess over. She closed her eyes to concentrate. With Chat Noir out of the picture, any mission they would’ve shared would’ve been left to Ladybug. Marinette’s lip quivered, and immediately she pinched her cheek. 

_ Kitty, why couldn’t you just give them up to me?  _ She wondered.  _ We could’ve ended all of this together. I would’ve returned the box to the Guardians in China, and this would all be over. No more Miraculous battles, no more fighting. We could finally live the normal lives we’ve always longed for. There would be no more fear of that being taken away from us. You and I... We could’ve finally shown each other our faces. We could’ve been best friends. It would’ve just as you wanted... Right? _

Marinette used her shirt to wipe at her eyes. And then, she remembered something else. She could use the Miracle Box to ask for another ally to assist her. After all, she still had the Turtle, the Bee, and the Fox Miraculous to lend out. _No,_ she told herself. _There would be too many questions if Ladybug came back out of the blue and asked for help. Plus, it would be too much on Carapace and Rena. While I could ask Queen Bee, it just..._ She shook her head. _No. I have to do this alone. I can’t involve anyone else in the mess I’ve made. If Master Fu can do it alone, so can I._

She forced herself onto her feet. _Like it or not, I’m still the Guardian._ Marinette reminded herself. _Master Fu chose me as his successor for a reason. I’m the only one who can do this, and I’ve been running away for far too long._ _It was time to stop delaying the inevitable._

Marinette pulled open the doors into her closet, and without another thought, she dove in right in. She threw aside a sweater, a pair of plaid pants, and a heavily-stained crop top. Then she threw her bag of fabric across the room, and watched some rolls unravel on the floor. Marinette sighed, she could fix that later. After continued excavation, she finally found what she was looking for. Marinette knelt onto the floor, and carried the box over to her bed. She placed it down onto the mattress, and stared down at it. She had to do it while the willpower was there.

So she lifted up the top lid of the box. Almost immediately, a tiny green creature burst out. A tiny antenna was centered on the back of their head, and an olive green shell hung on their back. They looked over at Marinette, and she saw the yellow sclera in their eyes narrow in their stare. “Hello Wayzz,” Marinette spoke solemnly.

“Hello, Master.” He spoke as formally as ever. “It’s been a while since you last sought our council.” He flew around and eyed her hair. He gave her an approving nod, before flying back in front of her again. “Has trouble arisen once more?”

“Not yet,” Marinette’s eyes flickered towards the Miracle Box. “Is Tikki around?”

“One moment,” Immediately, Wayzz plunged back in. A few moments later, Wayzz was joined by another creature identical in size to him. However, this one was red with a giant black dot in the center of their forehead. Long eyelashes hung from large watery blue eyes, and antennae hung down at their sides. A new lump formed in Marinette’s throat. 

“Oh Marinette!” Tikki nuzzled her head against the human’s cheek, and Marinette felt a drop of wetness land against her. “I’m so sorry, I should've considered your feelings more!”

Marinette raised a hand to stroke the top of the red Kwami’s head. “It’s okay, Tikki.” 

“No it’s not! You were stressed out about finding the others, and I shouldn’t have-”

“It’s okay,” Marinette spoke in a quiet but firm voice. “Really. It’s fine.”

Tikki backed up and flew around Marinette’s head. “Wow, your hair looks really good! You look so much older now! And your eyes, they-” Tikki’s voice faded in her throat.

Marinette forced a smile. “It’s been a while, huh?”

“How long?” Tikki murmured. 

“Three years.”

For several moments, Tikki’s face remained hidden as Marinette studied her hands. She had to fix this, or at least try to. “Tikki, I’m sorry.” She reached out towards her Kwami. “I never intended it to be for so long, and it’s no excuse but... All of this was really hard on me and I just felt like I can’t do anything right by any of you.” Her voice broke for a moment. “And it’s not an excuse, and I’m so sorry-”

“No, I get it, Marinette.” Tikki said. “After what happened between us, your mission, and... Chat. It finally got to you, didn’t it?” When Marinette remained silent, Tikki sighed. “I’m sorry, I should’ve paid more attention to your feelings as your Kwami.” 

“And I should’ve paid better attention to your feelings as your Guardian,” Marinette spoke bitterly. “So... Are we okay?” 

Tikki nodded. “All is forgiven. You wouldn’t be my first wielder to put away Ladybug’s powers for a while,” She spoke softly. “And I’m sure you won’t be the last.”

“Thank you Tikki,” Marinette felt an odd smile creep on her face. _I don’t deserve this._ _But if Tikki really has forgiven me so easily, then I guess there’s nothing else I can do about it._ “I too, will forgive you.” 

Wayzz cleared his throat. “So what’s going on?” 

“Well, I have a lead.”

Tikki’s tiny jaw dropped to the floor. “R-Really?” She stammered.

Meanwhile, Wayzz’s eyes kept blinking rapidly. “You did? You managed to find one? Where? Who was it? How?”

“Well, not quite yet.” Marinette corrected him. “But I have an idea of where a Miraculous might be.” 

“Which one?” Tikki asked.

“The Peacock,” Marinette answered. “I found out who had been using it. It was Nathalie Agreste. She’s- Well, she  _ was _ Mayura.” 

Tikki levitated in stunned silence while Wayzz narrowed his eyes,  _ again _ . “Fascinating,” He remarked. “But how did you ever find this out?” 

“I overheard a conversation she was having with someone, and she talked about the Miraculous and the unification of the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous.” Marinette got onto her knees as she began to reroll the fabric. 

“And how would you happen to overhear such an involved conversation?” Wayzz asked. “Forgive me, Master, but this sounds too much like a deus ex machina. It sounds way too easy.” 

“It was the power of Luck, Wayzz,” Tikki chimed in. “Marinette might’ve not been wearing my earrings, but she’s still Ladybug!” 

“Anyway,” Marinette spoke over the arguing Kwamis. “I know it’s Nathalie. And I only know because I was in the right place at the right time.” 

“So if Madame Agreste is Mayura, would you know who Hawk Moth was?” 

Marinette briefly looked up from her rolling. “Gabriel Agreste.” 

“But how?!” Tikki exclaimed. “He was akumatized! Hawk Moth can’t do that to himself,” She paused as her eyes wandered over to meet Wayzz’s. “Right?” 

“Normally, no,” Wayzz began. “But it looks like this particular holder was clever enough to figure it out." He looked back at Marinette. “But you’re still not telling us the whole truth, Master. How do you know about this? And how do you plan to take back everything? Chat Noir may have defeated Hawk Moth, but the mystery remains as to where the Miraculous is.”

Marinette hung her head in defeat. “Gabriel is currently dying in a hospice unit. I had come along to support a friend, and was grabbing snacks when I overheard the discussion. Hawk Moth isn’t a threat anymore, and if he isn’t, I don’t think Mayura is either.” 

“And are you sure Mayura wouldn’t seize Hawk Moth’s powers for herself?” Wayzz asked.

“I’m sure of it,” Marinette spoke quickly. "But if I can find the Peacock, I think it could point me to where the Butterfly’s hiding." Marinette said. “Or at the very least, it’ll rule some possibilities out.” 

“Did you ever-”

“No.” Marinette cut off Tikki abruptly. 

“Sorry,” Tikki’s antennae fell flat. “I just hoped that you knew where he was.”

“You and me both, Tikki.” Marinette softened her tone. “And if I knew, I would be with Chat right now to question him.” For some reason, even though she was telling the truth, it felt like a lie.

Suddenly, Tikki’s eyes swelled up with tears. “Oh God,” She blubbered. “I’m sorry, please keep going.”

Wayzz flew over to comfort his fellow Kwami. “What’s wrong?” 

It took Tikki a little bit to regain her composure. But when she did, she faced Marinette as tears rolled off of her cheeks. “If  Gabriel is Hawk Moth, that means... Adrien. His father is...” 

Something punched Marinette in the gut. Out of all the thoughts that crossed her mind, somehow _ that _ hadn’t hit yet. She covered her mouth as she gasped.  _ Adrien’s dad is Hawk Moth. Adrien’s dad is Hawk Moth, Adrien’s-  _

Wayzz hung his head. “How unfortunate.” He whispered something to Tikki that Marinette didn’t quite catch, but whatever it was made her sob even harder. Wayzz let the other Kwami lean into his shoulder, and he patted her back with his antenna. 

_ Is that why he left home? _ Marinette pulled her rolls of fabric close to her chest.  _ From the conversation he had with Nathalie, there’s no way he didn’t know. And... Oh God this could explain so much.  _ She rapidly shook her head.  _ But that doesn’t matter! How did he even find that out? Did he catch Gabriel akumatizing someone? It would make sense why Adrien never was akumatized, but-  _

“No.” Somehow, she found her voice again. “We can focus on this later. Right now we must retrieve the Peacock Miraculous from Nathalie, and do it fast.” 

“Right, right.” Tikki pulled away from Wayzz, and wiped her tears away with her antennae. 

“So here’s the plan,” Marinette began. “I’ll become Ladybug, and then I’ll sneak into the Agreste mansion.”

“And how do you exactly plan to do that?” Wayzz asked.

“I was going to use one of Adrien’s bedroom windows,” Marinette stood up from the ground and . “I’ve been able to get in there as Ladybug without any help before, so it shouldn’t be too hard.”

“What about other people that may be lurking about the mansion?” Wayzz asked. “Master, if you are caught as Ladybug, let alone seen at all, it will look very suspicious.” 

“I suppose you have a point,” Marinette’s shoulders drooped. “But it’s the only other plan I can think of. If Nathalie is at the hospital, that means there’s no one at home.”

"When were you planning to do this?"

“Probably at night,” Marinette said. “There’s less of a chance I’d be spotted.”

“Umm, Marinette... If you don’t mind me asking, are you-” Tikki began before she paused. 

“What?” Marinette asked.

Tikki flew over and got behind the curtains and gasped. “Look outside, now.” She spoke urgently. 

Marinette was about to scurry over to the window, but then her phone went off. She groaned, and saw the call was from Luka.  _ Luka never calls this early in the morning. _ She immediately raced over to pick up her phone. “What’s wrong?”

“Where are you?” His voice sounded uncharacteristically panicked. 

“I’m at home, doing laundry.” Marinette spoke inquisitively. “Luka, what’s wrong?” 

“Look outside your window.” She walked up to the window and pulled back the curtains. Immediately, she almost dropped her phone. Off in the distance was what appeared to be a giant raccoon. It stomped around in a rampage, and its tail whacked against a skyscraper and made it start to crumble. The wailing grew louder.

“Oh God.” 

“It’s going to be okay,” Luka  _ definitely  _ sounded not okay. And somehow Marinette knew it wasn’t just about the giant monster outside threatening humanity. “I’m coming by to get you now. I’ll meet you by the tiny alley a few blocks from your apartment, and we can hide in the subway tunnels.” 

“Don’t do it!” Marinette exclaimed. “You’re only going to be closer to where-”

“It doesn’t matter right now,” Luka spoke desperately. “I just want to make sure you’re safe.” 

“No, don’t come for me!” Marinette’s voice shook. “You’re just going to endanger yourself!”

“It’ll be okay,” His breathing was labored and heavy. “Ladybug... She will come to save us all.”

“But what if she can’t?” Her voice cracked. “What if you die on the way-”

“I won’t die.” Luka said. “I have faith in Paris’ superheroes. Even though it’s been so long since we’ve seen them, I know they won’t let us down. So please, Mari-”

“I’ll come to you, it’s safer that way,” Marinette said.

“No, Mari, please-”

“I’ll be at your mom’s shortly-”

“Marinette, please, don’t-”

Marinette buried her face in her hands. “I can’t believe I just hung up on him...” She muttered aloud. She shook her head and looked back over at the Kwamis. “Someone’s back.”

“Are you sure, Master?” Wayzz floated above her shoulders. 

“At least I know who I’m up against now.” Marinette stood up. “And this time,  _ I  _ will win.” She stared down at the open Miraculous box, and opened the earrings’ case. For several moments, she lingered while looking down at the jewels. She took a deep breath as she slid each earring on. It was time. 

“Tikki, spots on!” She shouted. Before her very eyes, a magenta light enveloped Marinette. She blinked and soon, the light faded as soon as it came. 

“Wow.” Ladybug stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her suit looked different than what she had remembered. Her suit was still covered in polka dots, but the fabric was black down from her wrists to her fingers, and down from her knees down to her toes. Something brushed against her sides, and she reached to find a long red ribbon between her fingertips. It appeared she wore a headband now. _ Cool,  _ she thought. Ladybug also noticed that her undercut was decorated with a polka dot pattern. She grinned, and fought back the urge to ask Tikki if this happened a lot, but knew that wasn’t important. She nodded towards Wayzz, and rushed through the back of the apartment, and leapt out the living room window. 

Ladybug landed in a nearby alleyway, and almost tripped over her ribbon. She sighed and leaned over the corner to stare at the long tail.  _ This is unusual for an Akuma, _ she thought.  _ Is it an Amok?  _ She reached at her hip, and pulled her yo-yo into her hands. Ladybug aimed it towards a nearby building, and with the flick of her wrist, she swooped up into the air. 

Being a superhero again was coming back to her more easily than she anticipated. As she ran from rooftop to rooftop, a sense of liberation flooded through her that she hadn’t felt in years.  _ This, this is what it’s like to have power! _ Ladybug grinned.  _ I had no idea how much I missed this!  _ She flew through the air once more with ease, and let out a loud cheer. 

Her excitement soon faded when she made her final landing. A few buildings up the street was where the giant raccoon stood. It was about five stories tall with purple and black stripes running through its fur. Yet, despite the dark patterns on its body, Ladybug thought she saw several things that sparkled in the sunlight. From a distance, whatever it was looked like giant diamonds. 

_ This is it? _ Ladybug fought back some laughter.  _ This is what’s causing all the trouble?  _ She shook her head.  _ At the very least, I can settle this quickly. _ She looked around, and saw several Parisians running around. Some were passed out on car rooftops, some others weren’t as lucky as they leaned against lamp posts or concrete slabs. Ladybug swung down to hoist the injured up onto a rooftop a few blocks away. During her trips, she noticed that there were no visible injuries on the unconscious, nor were there any bruises.

Soon the battleground had no more civilians around.  _ Perfect, _ Ladybug thought.  _ Now, we dance Monsieur Raccoon. _ She twirled her yo-yo up into the air once more, and flew before something shiny was shot at her. Somehow, the force of the tiny object threw Ladybug into a building, back first, before she bounced onto a window awning. She groaned and rubbed her shoulders. 

Yet Ladybug couldn’t remain complacent for long. She forced herself up from the awning and jumped on it to propel herself upwards. She rolled her weight midair to land onto another roof, and rolled against it. The back of her neck stung, and an odd ache crept into her shoulders.  _ Hopefully my Lucky Charm will fix the bruising,  _ she thought. Ladybug got back up onto her feet, and continued to zig-zag from rooftop to rooftop. 

During her rapid leaping session, Ladybug thought of Giganitan, the giant baby she and Chat Noir once fought against. _ Could I do what I did with him to the Raccoon? _ She looked up in the air, and saw how far away the Eiffel Tower was.  _ Too far. Okay, time for Plan B. _

But before she could think of that, a large paw came at her. This time, Ladybug was able to maneuver out of its way in time. Yet, she was already out of breath. Was she really that out of practice, or was this monster that formidable? 

Thankfully, she didn’t have to dwell on that for long. “Well hello, Monsieur Trash Panda!” 

She froze. Although the voice was deep, something about it was awfully familiar. Too familiar in a way that it made her uncomfortable. 

“Hello there, Milady,” Ladybug shakily looked over to gaze upon her ex-partner. For a moment, her heart stopped.

Unlike her, Chat Noir looked relatively the same. His blond hair was messy as ever, and had the leather belt tail and the golden cat bell on his choker. Yet, she could tell he also didn’t stand to the test of time. His shoulders had broadened, his jawline had hardened, and he seemed taller than what she recalled. But then she saw the tiny trace of blood on his lip, and the exhaustion in his face. Yet, in his eyes Ladybug saw his fighting spirit was still strong. 

He grinned at her. “No need to fall for me, but I do appreciate it.” 

“It’s...” Ladybug trailed off, still awestruck that  _ Chat Noir _ was actually  _ here _ . 

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Chat Noir suddenly sounded sad, as if he was reading her mind. “This is only temporary.”

“Of course,” Ladybug wrapped her arms around herself.  _ I should’ve known this was a one-time thing. _ “But I just... I’m so glad to see you.” Chat nodded, and landed to her left and stood by her side, his baton stretched out in his right hand. She had to lighten the mood. “Have you been fighting this thing for long?” 

“A little bit before you got here,” Chat Noir answered.

“Your lip is bleeding,” Ladybug pointed out. “Are you okay?” 

“Can’t be any better!” Her kitten gave her a big thumbs up. “I just got a slight lip cut from some debris our Trash Panda friend kicked up.”

“Is that really its name?” Ladybug asked.

“I dunno, but the nickname’s sticking.” 

An odd sense of lightness surged through her. “You don’t have the right to decide that!” 

“Well, too bad, because I’m gonna use it!” 

Ladybug faked a groan. “Some things never change...” She muttered under her breath. She looked back up at the Giant Raccoon aka Trash Panda. The raccoon roared, and several shiny objects flew out of its fur. Ladybug and Chat Noir leapt in separate directions to dodge said items. Ladybug thought she saw an empty milk jug shoot inches away from her face, and she watched it shatter against a storefront.

_ Wait a moment.  _ She scurried over, and found a plastic bag that smelled like rotten fish. A few feet away, she saw a few crushed soda cans, and an empty cigarette carton. “Chat!” Ladybug cried out. “The glittering things in its fur, it’s all trash!”

“Thanks for the astute observation, milady!” Chat Noir shouted sarcastically. “I think it’s releasing toxins into the air! It’s like its fur burning the trash or something!”

“So it’s like an invisible smog!” Ladybug leapt out of the way of another spiky soda can. “Do you think that’s why the townsfolk are passing out?” 

“Hell, I know that’s why.” Chat said. “But I still haven’t figured out how  _ we _ haven’t fallen prey to it yet!” 

“We might be somewhat impervious to the smog, but not for much longer!” And just as Ladybug said that, she began to feel lightheaded. 

She thought she saw Chat Noir’s face pale. “So what are we supposed to do?”

When all else failed, Ladybug knew what would help them. “Lucky Charm!” She threw her yo-yo into the air, and soon a plastic polka-dot bag floated down into her hands. She groaned. “Really? A plastic bag, really? What am I supposed to do with this?”

“Well, we have to figure it out quickly!” Chat Noir coughed as he jumped onto a nearby rooftop. “We don’t have much more time!” 

Ladybug put her concentration onto the bag, and waited like always for the connection to be made. She looked on the ground, and saw the Giant Raccoon, Chat’s baton, the trash on the ground, and her yo-yo all lit up in polka-dots.

“Chat, I think I got it!” Ladybug shouted. “I need you to distract Monsieur-” Chat Noir bared his fangs. “I mean, Trash Panda!”

“Not a problem! That should be easy!”

“But I’ll need to borrow your baton.”

Her partner’s face fell. “Are you serious? That wouldn’t be fair! I’ll be left defenseless!”

“You still haven’t used your Cataclysm, right?” Ladybug asked. “So you should be fine!”

“Oh, right. That old thing.” He waved his hand dismissively and laughed awkwardly, but she still caught his embarrassed smile. “Yeah, go for it. Just don’t leave me hanging too long, m’kay?” He tossed the baton to her before rushing back into the action. “Come and get me Tom Nook! This is for all the debt you gave me in Animal Crossing, you asshole!” 

The Giant Raccoon whacked its tail against a  _ No Littering _ sign. Ladybug thought she heard Chat Noir laugh, and she shook her head, again. She gazed down at the baton and saw the trash had dispersed throughout the open area. Ladybug rushed towards a paper receipt, and used the baton to stab a hole through it. Once it had been done, she popped the item into her bag. Then, she found a bag of used diapers that made her nose wrinkle. In an instant, that too, became part of the polka-dot bag’s contents. When Ladybug had collected all of the trash, she saw some more heaps piling up around her. It was time to end it. 

She rushed towards the Giant Raccoon, and threw the bag into the air. It bared its fangs before running after the bag. “Chat, now!” Ladybug cried out. 

“Cataclysm!” He fired a dark energy blast towards the creature. The black ball collided with it, and suddenly there was a loud, shrill scream. Before they knew it, the Giant Raccoon was gone, and all that remained was a glowing blue feather. 

_ It’s an Amok after all,  _ Ladybug realized. Yet, the unease didn’t seem to fade alongside it. “This is why you should always recycle!” She cried out. “Miraculous Ladybug!” 

From the power of her yo-yo burst out a healing light. The trash heaps disappeared before her very eyes, and the storefront window was restored back to its former glory. Soon, the soreness in her shoulders immediately faded away. Ladybug spotted movement among the unconscious people on the rooftops, and in the distance she heard cheering and joyful shouts of glee. 

“Long live Ladybug! Love live Chat Noir!” The civilians sang. 

For the first time in a while, Ladybug- no  _ Marinette _ \- felt victorious. Chat Noir walked towards her, and Ladybug was delighted to see his bleeding lip too had been healed through her powers. Elation pounded through her body like blood. She couldn’t help but grin ear-to-ear. For a moment, everything was as it was when Ladybug was a teenager. Giddiness rushed through her, she had no idea how much she missed this.

She extended her fist to Chat. “Pound-” She was interrupted by a pair of strong arms enveloping her into a hug. Somehow, Ladybug skipped over her shock, and she let herself lean into it. For a few moments, they embraced one another. During that time, Ladybug forgot about what happened between them so long ago. Nothing mattered now. Everything was going to be okay. Her lost kitty had finally come home. 

But then, out of the blue, he abruptly let go of her to ran away.

“H-Hey, wait up!” She cried out. 

He swung his baton in the air again, and bounced off. 

She groaned, and scurried after him. “I don’t understand, why are you acting so cold towards me? Just a moment ago you were hugging me-”

“It was a mistake!” He shouted over his shoulder.

“What do you mean it’s a mistake?!” She shouted back at him. She angrily grit her teeth, and threw her yo-yo to catch up with him. 

“Stop following me!” He snapped.

“No!” She threw her yo-yo once to throw herself in front of him, and crossed her arms. 

He looked away from her. “What?” 

“If it was a mistake, then why did you do it?” Ladybug asked firmly.

He gritted his teeth. “What’s it matter to you?” 

“Chat, please-”

“I just got caught up in the moment, okay?!” Chat Noir cried out bitterly.

“It’s okay, I’m not upset that you did that.” Ladybug placed a hand on his shoulder that Chat allowed to linger for a few moments. “I missed seeing you, too.” 

“Oh please, you didn’t miss me,” Chat Noir spat as he threw her hand off of him. 

The continued coldness made the hair stand up on Ladybug’s neck. “That’s not true at all,” She began. “I-”

“Cut the shit, milady.” Chat Noir snapped. “It’s been a while, but even now I know better when you’re not happy with me.”

“Maybe I am upset with you, but all of that doesn’t matter to me right now!” Ladybug struggled to keep her voice level. “Chat, you have no idea how much I’ve worried about you! It’s been so long since we’ve last seen each other. I had no idea what happened, so I thought or so long I thought you just disappeared, or maybe you got hurt, or worse!”

Chat Noir’s ears seemed to droop and he turned away. “It’s not like you tried to reach out.” 

Ladybug’s hands flew into the air. “How was I supposed to when I didn’t know where you were!” 

“I guess that’s fair.” Somehow, all the aggression from before had dramatically faded away from Chat’s demeanor and replaced itself with a sad sort of stillness. “But I thought you wouldn’t want to see that again.”

Finally, Ladybug-  _ Marinette _ had a chance. For years, she had practiced this scenario well if it ever came up. She considered everything from fake crying to screaming at him to seducing him to just telling him to screw off. All of those options were still on the table, and she was happy to choose any of them. 

At least that’s what she thought until she grabbed hold of his hand. He didn’t object to her touch, and it felt right to comfort him. It would be the same way she would comfort Alya, or Nino, or any of her other friends. 

But then an image of her blue-haired boyfriend came to mind, and she immediately let go. Ladybug didn’t bother to look up to see Chat’s reaction, but she had more important things to think about. “That’s not true,” She spoke carefully. “Yes, what you did hurt me a lot. I was really mad at you for a long time. But now I feel differently.”

“Why?” 

“Because you would never hurt me unintentionally.” Ladybug said. 

“How are you so sure about that?” Chat Noir asked coldly. “Ladybug, I’m a changed man. I know I put on this show of being that same playful kitten from all those years ago, but I’m not him anymore. Even if I wanted to be, I just... Can’t.” 

“I know,” Ladybug said. “And I’m not the same Bugaboo you once fawned over, either.”

“But it’s fun to pretend that we are still those same people, isn’t it?”

So why did you do it?”

And then, she waited for his answer. He hesitated for a moment, and remained still. “My battle with Hawk Moth became deeply personal,” He spoke in a low, distant voice. “I couldn’t let him sit back and hurt any more people.”

She expected that to be his answer, but hearing it aloud was different. For some reason, she slouched. 

Chat seemed to notice her disappointment. “I’m sorry, milady.” He gently pressed his lips against her forehead.

She stepped back from him. “Sorry, I...”

“It’s okay.” Chat Noir turned away from her. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Wait, will I-” She had half her sentence out before he threw out his baton and flew off again. And this time Ladybug couldn’t see where he went.

“Damn it!” She muttered to herself as she kicked aside a nearby soda can.  _ That didn’t end like how I hoped,  _ Ladybug thought as she stormed down the alleyway.  _ But why would I even have expectations? I didn’t even know he’d show up!  _

“AAAAAH!” She screamed at a nearby dumpster. A bunch of unwanted memories came crawling back in all at once. Images flashed through her mind of their patrols. His coy smiles, his cringey puns, and  _ all _ of his excess flirtations. One day it was all gone away and his playful demeanor had been replaced with a chilly aloofness. He had become reckless in fights, and he seemed to be numb to everything she scolded him for. 

_ I was so stupid. _ Ladybug thought.  _ I was so absorbed in a stupidly over-complicated, hypothetical relationship with Adrien that fell to shit that I never even thought to ask him. I should have asked him what was wrong then then. Stupid, stupid, stupid! _

By the time she was done, Ladybug hadn’t realized she had made such an impressive dent in the dumpster. Her fists were bruised, and she already knew her knuckles were bloodied underneath her suit. 

_ How will I explain this one to Alya? _ She thought.  _ I hope it doesn’t look too- _

And then an image of her boyfriend floated through her head.  _ Shit! Luka!  _ Ladybug remembered.  _ He has no idea if I’m okay, and I don’t know if he is! And I can’t just call him because I forgot my phone at the apartment!  _

Within minutes, Ladybug had made it to the docks. The Couffaine ship was still tied down, and she landed and hid behind a dumpster. “Tikki, spots off.” She whispered. In a flash, Ladybug became Marinette again. 

She looked down at her hands, and surprisingly her knuckles weren’t in terrible shape. Small red blots had formed around them, and ribbons of dead skin clung to her wounds. As she ran towards the ship, Marinette gently brushed her knuckles with a finger and she winced.  _ Hopefully Luka’s family has some medical supplies I can borrow. _ Marinette thought. 

Somehow she made it across the wooden beam to get onto the ship. She looked at the door, and knocked.  _ Please be home, please be home!  _ Marinette prayed. She lifted her knee, and used that to knock at the door.

In what felt like hours, the door opened and she saw a blob of blue hair. “Hey!” Marinette put on her best smile as she launched herself at him. “I’m so sorry for not calling you back, I got caught up in that Amok attack-” 

She cut herself off when she saw the look on Luka’s face. His expression was tight, his shoulders were hunched, and a deep sadness threatened to burst through his eyes. 

Marinette’s smile immediately went away. “Luka? Are you okay?” 

“Marinette, I...” He quietly trailed off as he placed his hands on her shoulders. “We really need to talk.” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies! This, thus far, is the longest chapter I've written to date of ABoG. Despite action scenes not being my strong point, I think this turned out okay. Feel free to let me know if that's not the case! 
> 
> Just a reminder from last time, I am going to be on vacation next week, so there could be a delay with future chapters. I, however, promise to do my best to keep up with the schedule. I hope y'all stick around for next time!


	11. Soiled Bandages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Luka sit down and talk about their feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies! I want to quickly apologize for the delay in this chapter being uploaded. I'm currently on vacation, and didn't have time to work on the chapter until yesterday. I had finished it last night, but our Wifi had gone bad at the bnb. Hopefully this will upload right now. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Marinette knew the exact moment Luka noticed her blood-crusted hands. He jumped to her side, before gently pulling past all the colorful bar stools in the kitchen and leading her down the hallway into his bedroom. 

As Marinette plopped down onto his futon, a strange wave of thoughts hit her. Almost a decade ago, she had met Luka in this very same room. The décor hadn’t changed too much, and still looked like it was a typical young adult’s living space. However, the once barren screens had posters of Jagged Stone tours and Prancing Goblins plastered everywhere. But just above Luka’s bed was a giant collage of pictures of him and Marinette. On his dresser were pictures of his father, his mom and Juleka, and his bandmates. Yet, Marinette couldn’t help but smile at how many pictures he had of them together. 

She looked over at Luka who had medical supplies strewn about on his desk. He was unraveling the bandage tape as he rolled over in his chair. Marinette noticed the bottle of rubbing alcohol in his hands.

“You had that out already?” She asked timidly.

“Intuition.” He spoke distantly. 

Marinette bit her lip. “Got it.” 

Luka held out her hands to closely inspect them. “Where were you?” His words didn’t sound accusatory, but rather they lacked any energy behind them. 

Her mouth went dry. “I got caught up in the Amok attack.”

“The same one I called you about earlier?” 

She looked away. “It wasn’t my choice. It...Just sort of happened.” It was at that moment Marinette remembered that Luka Couffaine was unlike any other man she met. It was obvious to her that he was upset with her. But to Luka? Not so much. He was just bad at understanding and expressing his own emotions. That was as well-known of a fact that Marinette couldn’t walk in a straight line while sober. 

But  _ she _ knew that something was wrong. Marinette thought she heard him sigh before he dribbled the rubbing alcohol onto a cotton ball. His shoulders were hunched over, and she saw his hands slightly quiver as he dabbed the ball on her wounds. She looked down as she tried not to wince, and noticed his bare feet were wrapped around the lower posts of his chair. It was subtle, but Marinette knew Luka was uncomfortable. 

For a while, they sat in silence as he treated her wounds. She remained quiet while her heart thumped inside of her throat. Finally, Luka rose his hands away from her own. “So I heard you went with Adrien to see his dad.” 

She forced a nod. “I did. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you. I was going to, but you seemed down last night, so I didn’t want to bother you with it.” Marinette looked down at her lap. “I promise that wasn’t deliberate.” 

“I know,” He spoke softly. “I believe you.” 

Even though she knew he meant to sound comforting, Marinette still wasn’t so sure. She forced herself to look at him, and saw his expression was ducked out of view. “Are you mad at me for running into the Amok attack?”

“No,” His eyes still refused to meet hers. 

“Are you sure?” When he didn’t answer her, Marinette sighed. “Luka, please just tell me what’s wrong.” She reached for his hand, and to her relief, he didn’t shrink away from her. Yet, his fingers hung limply within hers. “I don’t understand how, but I feel like I hurt you. And until I know what I did, we can’t move past this.” She rubbed her fingers against his. “Can you please tell me? I don’t want to jump to any conclusions about this.” 

“Don’t worry about it,” He spoke quickly and sheepishly. “It’s all stupid anyway.” 

She licked her bottom lip.  _ What would he be upset about? He was off last night too, now that I think about it. This can’t just be about the attack today.  _

Marinette continued to rack her brain some more.  _ He has been off since yesterday. But he wasn’t upset at the beginning of the day. What could have caused him to shift? _ Then she recalled the sound of shoes scuffing from the hallway she had heard. 

She gulped. “Were you listening to my conversation with Nino?” 

His head slightly tilted downward. “I was going to tell him that Alya found the receipt on her phone, and was able to forward it to Rose.” 

Marinette pulled her hands away. “So you were listening to us.”

“Not intentionally.”

Her stomach convulsed. “Luka, what you heard, it wasn’t-”

“I know.” His chair scooted away from her. “I know you’re not happy about it either.”

“But?” 

“I’m not blaming you for how you feel, but I’m worried about how you’re dealing with it.” For the first time since she came over, Luka made eye contact with her. Marinette’s heart almost stopped. His skin was pale, his eyelids were heavy, and dark circles were present aplenty below his eyes. If Marinette hadn’t known better, she thought someone had just died. 

“Marinette,” He began slowly. “You know that I’ve always been in love with you.”

“Clear as a music note, sincere as a melody...” Marinette recited from memory. For a moment she thought she had swallowed the cotton balls. 

“Even now you’re still the only song playing in my head.” Luka spoke distantly. “But we both know that you don’t feel the same way.”

Not a single retort came to mind to deflect his comment. _ It’s not like he’s wrong,  _ she reminded herself.  _ He liked you way before you liked him.  _

“And believe me, I tried other songs, but none of them stuck. And it’s all because yours rang the loudest.” Luka’s fingertip began to drum the countertop of his desk. “From the moment we met, I hoped I could get to know you. And when I got that chance, I then realized how lucky I was.” He stopped and released a long, never-ending sigh. “You’re wonderful, Marinette. I have thought that and always will think that of you.” He then trailed off, and his voice was barely above a whisper when he said, “But you love someone else.”

She looked down at her stinging hands again. The blood had gone away, but the raw skin and the faint bruises still clung to her knuckles. “That’s not true.” She struggled to sound firm. “I don’t know how much you heard yesterday, but Adrien’s not the man I want to be with.” 

“Are you sure?”

Those words twisted a knife into her heart. “Of course I am!” She cried out. “Luka, I’m with you because I love you!”

“I don’t understand,” Luka spoke with anguish. “How can you love Adrien and I at the same time?” 

“It’s simple! Adrien was my first love, and you’re my true love!” Marinette exclaimed.

“Do you really think it’s as simple as that?” 

“How can you say that when you don’t know what I’m feeling?” 

“That’s just it.” Luka backed away from her. “Sometimes I just don’t know.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

His eyes widened. “Wait, forget I said that-”

“Luka, you can’t say something like that and take it back.” Marinette crossed her arms. “Just say it.”

“Okay.” He began slowly. “When we first got together, we both talked about how being open was hard for us, so we said that we’d work on that together. Through that, you know I struggle with perfecting my music. You know that I still worry about Juleka’s well-being, even after she got straightened out last year. Hell, you know far more about the impact of my dad’s death on me than my own mother.” He paused. “But I want to make it clear that I never expected you to share all your feelings with me. I still feel that way. But you scare me sometimes.” 

His voice got lower, and it sounded like he was struggling to sound level. “Like... You just start crying and you mutter stuff about not being good enough. As much as I want to ask you about it, I also don’t want to overstep my boundaries, so all I can hope for is for you to just tell me. But you never do.” He rubbed at his eyes with his hands. “Marinette, I love you, but sometimes you’re so closed off. You’re always helping others, and you never let other people in or help you.”

“That’s not true,” She began. “I talk to you about my frustrations at work, I told you about my anxieties about Chloe, and the stress of the wedding planning. How is that being closed off?”  _ Stop kidding yourself, you’re lying to him about the truth of who you are!  _

“But there’s always more to it than that,” Luka said. “And I’ve known you long enough to know that.”

Her heart thumped inside of her throat. “So what are you trying to say?”  _ Do you want to break up with me? Is this the end?  _

“I just want you to know that I’m always going to be here for you. I want to help you Marinette not just because I love you, but because you’re always helping other people. You deserve to be helped too.”

A single tear trickled down her cheek.  _ Oh Luka. How I wish I could tell you why.  _

He looked away from her again. “I’d like you to let me in, but I know it’s not my decision. But I just want it to be fair that you share with me as much as I share with you.” 

_ I can’t tell anyone my identity, _ the reminder slipped into her head for the infinite time. _ No one must ever know that I’m Ladybug, ever.  _

“I understand,” Marinette said.  _ He can never know. _ “And you have no idea how much I want that. But...” 

“But what?” 

“Luka... I’m sorry.” She wiped at her eyes again. “I know it may not seem like it, but I do want to share my life with you. I don’t like you doubting our relationship, but I totally get it. If our roles were reversed, I’d feel the same way. But there’s just things I can’t tell you or anyone else. And it’s not because I don’t trust you, it’s just...” _ I’m one of Paris’ superheroes.  _

“It’s just what?” He spoke quietly. 

“It’s complicated.”  _ Because if someone finds out my identity, a lot of things could go horribly wrong. _

“What is that supposed to mean?” His voice shook. “Will you tell me anything?”

“I want to!” Her voice broke. “I want to so badly! For years I’ve been holding onto this stupid, long secret! And I want to tell somebody, anyone, the truth! But I just...”  _ I’m the Guardian. I have to save Paris from an evil butterfly man who’s near death, but no one else knows that but me. _

Then she paused for a moment. _ That’s right, I am the Guardian. _ She remembered.  _ If I’m in charge of the Miracle Box and who I give the Miraculous to, he has to know who I am, right? Master Fu could share his identity with me, so why can’t I do the same? What is stopping me, anyway? Luka had a Miraculous before, too even! Oh my God, how did I not think of this before? _

“What is it?” 

Marinette barely heard him.  _ Could I do it? I mean, if I am the Guardian, everyone can know who I am. Master Fu could know who I was, and vice versa. Those were the rules, right? So why can’t I do the same?  _ She stared at Luka, somehow his cerulean eyes were still patient and kind.  _ Plus, if I still intend to give up the Miraculous Box back to the Guardians at the temple, you’re going to need help. You were hopeless without Chat Noir’s intervention, and who knows if he’ll show up now! I have to get allies. Even if my reasons are selfish, I have faith in those whom I love. And it’s time I prove that. _

_ But am I willing to do this?  _ Marinette thought. _ I can't take it back once I’ve said it. But if it goes too awry, Bunnyx will let me know.  _

She shook her head and gathered all of her resolve as she stood up straight. “Luka, I’m sorry I’ve kept this from you for so long.” She took a deep breath. “For so long, I’ve pretended I’m just a normal woman with a normal life. But that’s not true. There’s something that no one knows about me, because I have this secret...” 

She pressed a finger against her earrings. “Tikki, spots on.” 

In a flash of light, she became Ladybug for the second time that day. Ladybug slowly looked up, and saw the wide-eyed look in Luka’s cerulean eyes. His lips didn’t threaten to part, his words nonexistent. Ladybug looked around, and saw that the white-and-blue clad superheroine hadn’t appeared. That slightly alleviated her anxiety.

“Hello Luka, I’m...Ladybug.” The words scrapped against her throat like sandpaper. In an attempt to soothe herself, Ladybug began to fidget with her headband. 

He stared at her, mouth completely agape. 

_ This could be bad, _ Ladybug realized.  _ What if I made a mistake by telling him? What if I run him off, or- _

And then she heard the sound of his hysterical laughter. Luka leaned over in his chair before he arched his back out and continued to roar.

Ladybug’s cheeks reddened as she ducked her head. “I-Is there something wrong?”  _ Oh God, I did make a mistake. Bunnyx, please come fix this now!  _

“N-No, it’s not that at all.” Luka wiped at his eyes, and Ladybug looked and saw how relieved he looked. I should’ve known,” He began. “I should’ve realized who Ladybug was from the start. It all makes sense now.”

Ladybug slowly looked up. “So, you’re... Okay with this?”

“Not quite, I do have to slightly revise my opinion of my girlfriend.” For the first time since she arrived, Ladybug saw Luka smile. “Is there a word greater than stupendous? Superlative? Extraordinary? I don’t think that a word exists that can accurately describe the awesomeness of Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” 

Immediately, Ladybug rushed over and embraced Luka. He accepted the hug, and pulled her close. As they held one another, Luka continued laughing, and Ladybug joined in. For several minutes, Their mirthful howling rang through the ship as it rocked back and forth. She gently kissed Luka’s ear, and he gently tapped her nose with a callused finger.

“So you’re just going to accept this?” Ladybug pointed at herself. 

“Don’t get me wrong, this is still a lot to process.” Luka pulled back from her and looked into her eyes. “I just am glad that it’s only just this.” 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you,” Ladybug pressed her forehead against Luka’s. “Or anyone. But yeah, I’m totally Ladybug.” At that moment, she backed away to give him a stupid grin with a thumbs up. After realizing the absurdity of her actions, she burst into laughter.

He shared her smile. “Did Chat Noir ever know?”

“Never,” The grin on Ladybug’s face faded as she looked out the window overlooking the river. “The former Guardian forbade us from telling each other.” 

“Who’s the Guardian?” Luka asked.

“They are the people who choose new Miraculous wearers,” Ladybug said. “The former Guardian was trained under the premise that the Ladybug and Chat Noir should never find out the other’s identity.” 

“So why are you telling me this now?” Luka asked. “Wouldn’t the new Guardian be upset with you?” 

“Great question,” Ladybug said. “Tikki, spots off.” In a flash, Ladybug’s costume had disappeared again. 

Tikki appeared at Marinette’s side and waved at Luka. “Hello there, Luka, it’s great to finally be about to meet you.” She smiled. “I’m Tikki, and I’m Marinette’s kwami.” 

Luka slowly reached out to shake the tiny creature’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Tikki.” 

Tikki looked over at Marinette. “Do you want to explain in more detail, or should I?”

“I’ll handle it for now,” Marinette looked back at Luka. “So in the years since Hawkmoth’s defeat, I’ve become the new Guardian. So because of that, I’ve worked alone on anything that would’ve involved both Chat and I. But as we were talking earlier, you made me remember a giant loophole exists. Since I’m the Guardian, it’s okay for everyone to know my identity.” She looked at Tikki. “Right?”

Tikki uneasily nodded. “Y-Yeah, it should be.”

“Okay. So you’re both the Guardian and Ladybug,” Luka repeated. “But does telling me this put you in any danger?” 

“Normally, yes, but the times have changed.” Marinette said. “I know who Hawk Moth and his accomplice both are, and I know Hawk Moth is considerably weak right now. I can end it all, but today I’ve realized I can’t do it alone.” She grabbed his hand. “I’m not planning on making a move yet, but when that time comes I will need you Viperion.” 

His fingers curled around hers. “So what does that entail?”

“I’m going to get all the Miraculous back together,” Marinette looked at Tikki. “And finally, the Miracle Box will be fully reunited.”  _ Except for Chat’s, _ Marinette thought.  _ But I can cross that bridge later.  _

“I see.” Luka went quiet for several moments. “You know, this is not how I thought today was going to go.” 

“Too real,” Marinette awkwardly laughed. 

“Happy Anniversary,” He muttered.

Marinette found herself laughing, and didn’t know why. “I had it all planned out today, you know.” She said. “Between the wedding and your album recordings, I thought you’d like to just have a quiet night in at my apartment or something. I was going to make you some herb-crusted salmon, and mashed potatoes, and grilled asparagus. I found a bad Lord of the Rings knock-off movie, and then I was going to give you your present.”

Luka wistfully smiled. “That sounds nice.”

“Yeah...” She trailed off. “It was. How do you feel about it?”

“That sounds great. I still want to celebrate everything. But after recent revelations, I just need some space to think about things.” He shook his head. 

“Oh.” Marinette turned away. 

He hugged Marinette around her waist. “I still love you. I love you even more now knowing you’re Ladybug.” He kissed her forehead. 

“So are you mad at me?”

Luka flexed open his palm and gently set it on top of Marinette’s head. “Relax, Mari. It will be okay.” He spoke reassuringly, a sparkling sweetness glimmering in his eyes. “I promise it’s not you. You’re amazing. While I need a little bit of space, I just need it so I can move forward. I’m still going to be here for you one-hundred percent. We can plan to celebrate after the wedding.”

“Are you sure?”

He kissed her. “I’m sure.”

After sharing a few kisses, and other affections, Marinette exited the ship and walked down the street. While a lightness had been lifted from her, something else still weighed on her.  _ Did I make the right decision? _ She wondered. 

She looked over her shoulder and smiled at the boat.  _ No, I know I made the right decision.  _


	12. Straws

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After sulking for a little bit, Marinette is invited to go clubbing with our favorite blond girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies! I apologize for the delay in upload! Being on vacation messed with my upload schedule, and due to personal conflicts, I wasn't able to write this chapter as quickly! Hoping next week will be back on its normal Wednesday schedule, but we'll see what ends up happening. Regardless, I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

The ceiling was white. Well, Marinette thought it was until her eyes regained focus. To her surprise, her bedroom’s ceiling was not white. Instead, it was an eggshell white. While this distinction meant nothing to a normal person, it made Marinette cringe.

_ I can’t believe I couldn’t tell the difference for a moment! _ She thought.  _ What kind of designer am I? Ugh, get with it Marinette!  _

Still laying in bed, Marinette looked to her right and reached for a pillow before pulling it close to her chest. She pressed her forehead against the fabric and breathed in. Even after a few days, she still could smell the lingering scent of seawater, citrus, and blue cypress. For a moment, she smiled.  _ I hope you are really okay, Luka.  _

Something vibrated. Marinette sighed as she reached for her phone and opened her messages. Unsurprisingly, there were three missed calls from Alya. Immediately, she tapped the button to call her back. 

“Hey,” Marinette greeted.

“Ohmigosh, Marinette,” Alya’s voice was shrill with excitement. “Did you hear? Ladybug’s back!”

“Yeah, I heard,” Marinette put all of her enthusiasm she could muster into her voice.

“I can’t believe this, two days before _ my _ wedding and she comes back!” Alya squealed. “This is the perfect distraction! God, I’ve been so stressed with all this nonsense! Between the wrong flower colors, the caterer losing our request, and the tea lights going missing, it’s been a  _ nightmare _ ! Ugh, I can’t wait to just get married already!”

“A huh,” Marinette stared absentmindedly at the ceiling. 

“Hey, what’s up with you?” Alya asked. “You sound like something’s bothering you. Are you okay?”

_ Did the enthusiasm go away already, or did she see right through me?  _ Marinette wondered. “I-It’s nothing.”

“Girl, tell what’s wrong,” Alya said. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’ll tell you later,” Marinette said. “It’s an ongoing situation.” 

“So you’re not okay,” Alya said. “Is there anything I can do?”

“Not really, but I appreciate it.” 

“So will you be okay?”

Marinette laughed as an odd smile crept to her lips. “I think so.”

“All right-” Suddenly, there was a crash in Alya’s background audio. “Sorry, my sisters are-” She cut off to shout, “No, don’t put that there, Ella! We need to-” Alya groaned. “Sorry, Mari, we’re setting up at the venue.”

“I didn’t realize that was happening today,” Marinette said. “Do you need me to come over?”

“Oh no, it’s all good!” Alya said. “Plus, you’re gonna be with Luka today, so I don’t wanna take you away from him.” Soon there was another loud thump in the back. Marinette heard Alya groan. “Jeez... Sorry, Mari, I gotta let you go! Talk to you later, love you, byeeee!”

There was a click and just like that, Alya left Marinette alone with her thoughts. She placed her phone back onto her nightstand and stared up at the ceiling once more. 

_ So Chat is back in Paris _ , she thought.  _ At least, for now he is. And so is our enemy. That’s great. I wonder if and how those two things are related somehow.  _ She shook her head.  _ Okay, let’s not overthink that Marinette. I hope I see Chat again under better circumstances. But why do I care so much? _

After nothing came to mind for a few moments, Marinette decided to think about something else. _But was it really Mayura that conjured the Giant Raccoon?_ _As far as I know, Nathalie’s been at the hospital, and that’s far from where we are. But she could’ve just come back here using her powers, just like Chat and I used to. Ugh, I need to check out the mansion!_

She pulled the pillow up to her head and screamed. Not too long afterward, Marinette felt a tiny paw comfortingly pat her knee. 

For a moment, she pulled the pillow back and stared at her kwami. “Tikki, did I make the right choice?” 

“You trust Luka, right?”

“More than anyone,” Marinette hugged her pillow even tighter. “But I’m still worried I made a mistake. This is just a horrible thing to think, but what if  _ he’s _ not dying?” 

“I don’t know,” Tikki frowned. “But it could be a possibility.”

“Exactly, so what if all of this is just a ruse?” Suddenly, she tasted blood. Soon, Marinette noticed that her bottom lip was crushed between her teeth and that her lip was bleeding. “What if Hawk Moth is still out there? If Mayura can create more Sentimonsters, surely that means something, right?”

“Didn’t Master Fu think that the Peacock Miraculous got damaged?” Tikki asked.

Marinette’s mind briefly flashed back to a fight that left Mayura coughing and heaving after a few punches. “Maybe, it’s possible.” 

“If that’s true, then she has a weakness too!” Tikki exclaimed. 

“But Mayura rarely acts alone,” Marinette pointed out. “So she has to be helping someone.”

“I don’t think she is,” Tikki said. “Besides, Chat Noir defeated Hawk Moth, right?”

“Supposedly,” Marinette muttered into her pillow. “What was I thinking, telling Luka? I’ve made a huge mistake.”

“Marinette, please,” Tikki said. “You haven’t been able to talk about this to  _ anyone _ in years.”

“But that’s my fault,” Marinette pulled her face away from her pillow and stared out the window. “I was stubborn and wanted to protect everyone. I never told Chat anything about Master Fu either. God, what if that’s the reason why he fought Hawk Moth alone? What if he was getting revenge against me because of all the secrets I kept-”

“Don’t say stuff like that,” Tikki scolded her. “Chat Noir would never do that, and he told you as such.” 

“What if he was just saying that to be nice?” Marinette asked. “He already was so uncomfortable around me, so I just...” She screamed into her pillow once more. “I hate thinking. I hate my thoughts.” 

Tikki patted Marinette’s shoulder again. “I know. So let me ask you this. After everything that’s happened today, do you still want to go after the Peacock Miraculous?”

“Absolutely,” Marinette placed the palms of her hands over her chest. “After today’s fight it’s even more important I take back Mayura’s Miraculous. I know she won’t give it up without a fight, so I will need to back up.” 

“So are you going to tell Alya, Nino, and Chloe about it?” Tikki asked. 

“Eventually,” Marinette said. “Luka’s will help tremendously, but I’ll still need their support. I’m just waiting for a good time to tell them.”

“And do you know when that will be?” 

Marinette swallowed some air. “It has to be soon, but I don’t know if Nino and Alya can do it since they’re getting married in two days.”

“Marinette, if  _ you _ asked them to do this with you, they’d drop everything in a heartbeat.” Tikki pointed out.

“But, I’d be risking their safety-” Marinette began.

“You know they wouldn’t care.” Tikki interrupted. “They love you! And if they knew who Ladybug was, they’d want to help her even more!”

Marinette thought about it for a moment. Nino was her longest-lasting friendship, and he valued loyalty and honesty. He also didn’t like it when that wasn’t being reciprocated.  _ Even so, he’d take it the best out of the three of them, _ Marinette thought. 

Meanwhile, both Alya and Chloe were huge fans of Ladybug. Somehow, that terrified her even more.  _ Alya probably would be pissed and not talk to me for a few days, but Chloe... Oh God.  _

For a few moments, Marinette stared up at the ceiling again. Her eyes grew tired as she grew bored staring up at it. Yet the blankness was an odd comfort to her. Soon, Marinette’s eyes closed. It could have been minutes, or possibly hours but she woke again to the sound of excitable squealing. 

_ Chloe must be home, _ Marinette realized. Not even a second later, she heard light but hurried footsteps sliding towards her door. 

“Hey, Marinette!” Chloe popped her head through a crack in the doorway. “Wait a sec." She froze and stared at her suspiciously. Then, after a few seconds, Chloe scurried over to read Marinette’s calendar. "Today's your anniversary with Luka, right?” She asked. “Shouldn’t you be with him tonight?”

“He wasn’t feeling too well,” Marinette spoke sullenly.

“Shouldn’t you be with him?" 

“He didn’t want me to,” Marinette said. "He just needs some space right now."

“On your anniversary?” Chloe frowned. “Are you two okay?”

“We couldn’t be any better,” Marinette paused and looked over at Chloe. “Wait a sec. Since when do you care about my relationship?”

Chloe attempted to hide her reddened face from view. “Why wouldn’t I care if you’re having problems with Luka? You’re my f-friend.” 

Marinette blinked. “Did hell just freeze over?” She muttered to herself aloud.

“What?” Chloe asked.

“Nothing,” Marinette clutched her bedsheets and used them to pull herself up into a sitting position. “Anyway, what are you doing tonight? Anything fun?”

Chloe spun around and grinned. “I, Chloe Bourgeois, have a date.”

“Really?” Marinette crossed her legs. “You’re not going to see Adrien?”

“Nah, he’s with his dad. Imagine that.” Chloe waved her hand dismissively. “But yes, yes! I got a date! His name is Rodrigo, and I met him off of Bumble. Apparently he’s like an accountant and likes superheroes and getting pedicures!”

“Sounds like your ideal type of man,” Marinette said.

“Right?” Chloe grinned from ear to ear. “We’ve been talking for almost two weeks, and I really like him! But he wanted to meet up at a club. I’m totally going all in, but I don't wanna go alone in case he’s actually an utterly ridiculous creep."

Marinette narrowed her eyes. “Is this your way of asking me to go with you?"

Chloe pouted. “Why do you always have to see right through me?” 

“I’m secretly a detective, Bourgeois,” Marinette spoke sarcastically. 

Chloe rolled her eyes, “Anyway, are you coming or not?” 

_ I need to get my mind off of this Ladybug business anyway, and the wedding business, and work-related business. Just all types of business.  _ “Absolutely. I really need to not think right now.” 

Also unexpectedly, Chloe rushed over to hug Marinette. Marinette stiffened in Chloe’s arms and awkwardly patted her on the back. Chloe let go and smiled. “Thank you, Marinette! You won’t regret this!”

Marinette forced herself to nod. She pulled herself up from her bed and reached for a nearby glass of water. “What time are you meeting him?”

“About an hour or so.” Chloe walked and stopped under Marinette’s doorway. “I’m doing my makeup in my room.” She pressed her lips together as she inspected Marinette’s appearance. “Please shower, you look like you emerged from a sarcophagus.” 

Immediately Marinette spat up water everywhere. “Sarcophagus?” She repeated. _ I’m surprised she even knows that word!  _

“Uh, yeah, because you look like you walked out of the ground like you’re dead,” Chloe said.

“I’m reconsidering my choices.”

Chloe’s face fell. “Shit, shit! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I was being rude! Please come with me, I need you!” 

Marinette sighed. “Fine.”  _ If she wants me to go, let's make her regret it.  _ She walked over to her closet, snatched a lacy mini dress off a hanger, and went into the bathroom. After taking a long shower, Marinette quickly toweled her hair dry and opened up her makeup bag.

Normally, she didn’t wear too much makeup, but Marinette decided tonight she was going to go all out. She blended together dark purple and black eyeshadow, and traced the bottom of her eyelids with black eyeliner, and put on several layers of mascara. Finally, after applying a mauve blush, Marinette drew on a thin layer of red lipstick. After smoothing it out with her lips, Marinette pulled on her dress and threw the bathroom door wide open. 

She walked past Chloe’s bedroom door and saw the other woman was still getting ready, and she was clad in a goldenrod bathrobe. Chloe gasped. “Girl, you look way too hot!”

“You’re the one who didn’t want to be seen with someone who emerged from a sarcophagus.” 

Chloe blinked a few times and shook her head. “Yeah, well... Whatever!” She went into her room, and Marinette smirked to herself as she went into her own. After finding a pair of high heels, a necklace, some bracelets, a handbag, and a jacket that went together, she walked out into the living room. Marinette pulled out her phone and proceeded to check her social media. 

About a half-hour later, Chloe emerged from her room disgruntled in a low-cut jumpsuit and stilettos. Her blond hair was styled into ringlets, and she wore a long teardrop-shaped necklace with matching earrings. “Is this good?” She asked.

Marinette’s eyes narrowed as she inspected Chloe’s outfit. “Are you wearing something over that?”

“Only for the first half-hour,” Chloe rushed back into her room and grabbed a pleather jacket. “Does this work?”

“Yeah, I think so,” Marinette said. 

Chloe threw the jacket on. “Cool,” She said. “Let’s go.”

As they stood outside their apartment, Marinette was surprised to see how the sun was already a tiny sliver. _ I can’t believe it’s already dark out,  _ She thought.  _ How long did I space out again, anyway?  _

Soon, the cab arrived and Chloe’s hand waved with poise to flag it down. She jumped in first, and Marinette followed into the car shortly. Marinette wrinkled her nose, the car seats reeked of a very strong cologne.  _ Why do people have to spray so much Axe? It’s so strong! _

For a few minutes, Marinette and Chloe didn’t speak. Marinette assumed that it was so they didn’t gag on the air. She stared out the car window once m and absent-mindedly rolled it down. Soon, she was broken out of her thoughts by nearby squealing.

“Soooo, did you hear? Ladybug and Chat Noir came back today!”

Marinette forced a weak smile. “Yeah. They sure did.” 

“Like, it’s never good that the villains are back, but I’m still so,  _ so _ excited!” Chloe pulled up a picture of the superhero duo on her phone and showed it to Marinette.

Marinette blinked. Chloe’s new wallpaper was of Ladybug and Chat Noir in a tight, tender embrace.  _ Of course someone got a picture of that goddamn hug, _ she thought.  _ Hopefully Luka doesn’t see it. _

“They might’ve not stuck around for interviews or anything, but we got this picture!” Chloe’s eyes were bright like a child’s. “It looks like they’ve reunited! I hope that means they worked everything out.”

“I’m sure they did,” Marinette tried to lick her lips, but her mouth had gone dry again. She took a deep breath. “So, Chloe. You know how you used to be Queen Bee?” 

“Uh yeah, of course I do! Everyone knows that because fourteen-year-old Chloe was an egotistical dumbass that told all of Paris,” Chloe started playing with her hair. “What about it?”

“If Ladybug asked you to help her with a mission, would you do it?”

Chloe narrowed her eyes. “Uh, hello? Who do you think I am? Of course I’d do it! Like I said before when I was Queen Bee I was a total bitch. Now I’m just kind of a bitch, I may be able to redeem myself!”

“You said it, not me,” Marinette hid her expression out of view. “But thanks, Chloe. That’s good to know.”

“Wait, why are you asking me that?” And before Marinette could respond, the cab went to an abrupt stop. Chloe gasped as she emerged from her car seat. “Okay, looks like we’re here!” She looked back over her shoulder. “But we’re totally revisiting the Queen Bee thing later because I am totes suspicious!”

_ We’re here already?  _ Marinette thought.  _ Okay, I need to stop spacing out. I have to be on my game tonight to make sure we’re safe. _

Chloe jumped out of the car and led Marinette inside of the club. As soon as they walked in, Marinette gagged on the hot and stuffy air. Her senses were overwhelmed with the stench of cigar smoke mixed with heavy cologne and sweat. The dance floor was barely lit up by the flickering red stage lights. A mob of people grinded together, front against front and back against front. The club music blared through large speakers and subwoofers alike, which made Marinette wish she brought earplugs.

“Do you know what he looks like?” She shouted.

“What?” Chloe called back.

“Do you know what Rodrigo looks like?” Marinette repeated.

“He has brown hair and he’s supposed to be wearing a striped sweater!” Chloe’s head spun around, and her pupils darted back and forth as she scanned the room.

Marinette too began to look around, and somehow she spotted a possible contender. The man was tall, thin, and from the distance looked very handsome. He indeed wore a striped sweater, but it was two-toned with vertical stripes. Around his shoulders was a drawstring bag, and he appeared to be holding a martini glass with an olive in it. 

_ Wow, someone who says what they are on a dating app, _ Marinette smiled.  _ Good for Chloe! Let’s hope she doesn’t run him off.  _ She put a hand on Chloe’s shoulder. “I think I found him.” 

Chloe nodded and nervously rubbed her elbows. “Wow, he’s hot.”

“Congrats,” Marinette said. 

Chloe continued to run her hands up her forearms. “So, how do I not fuck this up?”

“Compliment his sweater,” Marinette suggested. “And also don’t be a bitch. But be yourself.”

“Come on,” Chloe glowered. “You know I can don’t both of those things at the same time!”

“You don’t know until you try!” Marinette playfully shoved Chloe. “I think if that is Rodrigo, he’s looking for you. If anything happens, remember that I’m here, okay?”

Chloe nodded. “Thanks, Dupain-Cheng... Did I mention I don’t deserve you as a-”

“Nope, you’re not getting sappy on me now.” Marinette pushed Chloe towards the unfamiliar man. “Go out there and enjoy your date!” 

And with that, Chloe strutted forward and didn’t turn back.

Marinette sighed,  _ Finally, that’s done and over with. Now, what the hell do I do for the next two hours?  _

She looked around and quickly spotted the bar.  _ May as well after the day I’ve had. _ As she began to walk towards it, Marinette realized wearing heels were a mistake. Despite pumps being a regular fashion choice, for some reason it was difficult to keep her balance. But soon, she managed to sink down into a bar stool. The bartender looked up, her ultramarine eyeliner thick but well-applied. “Can I help you?”

“Rum and Coke, please,” Marinette asked. _ One drink won’t hurt _ ...  _ Right? _

Then one drink became two, and then a half of one. Over the next hour or so, Marinette adopted a new routine of checking her messages, taking a long swig of her drink, and checking on Chloe. At twenty-two minutes in, she and Rodrigo were both on their second drink. Thirty-six minutes in somehow they were roaring over the club music. Forty-nine minutes in they were grinding on the dancefloor. And at an hour and six minutes later, they were making out in the back of the club.

_ Eww! This isn’t that type of club, Chloe!  _ Marinette shook her head.  _ Ah well, at least they both are into each other. Hopefully the connection lasts past tomorrow morning. _

She continued to scroll through her phone and tried to not judge Chloe for another twenty minutes. Somehow after that time, she down at her phone and saw a series of texts from her roommate.

Chloe: omg he’s soooo perfect!! 

i have to have him tonight! 

Im going home with him, this is soooo unlike me but like

He is perfect. Im dying 

Marinette: Go for it

Just be safe and keep communicating with me so I know youre not dead.

Let me know if you need anything :) 

Chloe: <3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3 will do! 

_ That means I can leave soon, right? _ She looked at her third drink and saw how much she had left to finish.  _ Maybe if I want to be incapacitated tomorrow. Screw it, I need something to take the edge off. This week has been a mess. _

She took another long sip of her drink and an “ah” slipped out. Thanks to all of Luka’s band’s aftershow parties, Marinette had developed a decent drinking tolerance. She looked around her and noticed how little people paid attention to their significant others’ personal space. Marinette thought she caught a girl grabbing her partner’s crotch, which forced her to look away in embarrassment. Looking at the bottom of her drink again, Marinette took another sip to finish it off. Slowly, her ears had begun to burn, and her head felt lighter. She was a bit buzzed, and that was good enough for now. 

But then she was bored. Marinette looked around and watched Chloe walk out with Rodrigo. His arm was around her shoulder, and her jacket was wadded up in her arms. Judging by his drunken body language, he was still respectful.  _ I hope Chloe doesn’t mess this up,  _ Marinette thought. 

She stared down at her phone and sighed. Both her clock and her eyelids told her it was late. But Marinette’s body refused to leave her seat.  _ Are my thighs glued to the bar stool or something?  _ She thought.  _ It’s okay to go now! _

Her ears rang from the club music, and her nostrils were overwhelmed by two men smoking cigars next to her.  _ Why can’t I get up? _ She wondered. _ Am I waiting for something? Chloe’s gone already, and she won’t come home tonight. Come on, Marinette! Get up!  _

Marinette stared down at her legs.  _ Okay, move your left leg over.  _ She moved her left leg over.  _ Turn your body to the left.  _ She turned her body to the left.  _ Now put one foot down, and then the other. _ Even though her feet wobbled, somehow she was able to stand on her own. __

_ Okay, now let’s go,  _ Marinette began to reach for her purse but was stopped by a gentle hand landing on her shoulder.

“P-Princess? Is that you?” A familiar voice breathed down her neck.

Marinette spun around to stare up at an unfamiliar silhouette. He was tall, with slightly broad shoulders, and wore a black hooded jacket. At first, Marinette shrank away from him but then she looked into his eyes. The sclera was green, just like his irises. His pupils were in slits, and she saw a flash of pearly white fangs. 

Marinette blushed. “C-Chat, it’s...You.”  _ Why did he have to be here? _ She internally whined to herself. “Right?”

“In the flesh,” He awkwardly grinned.

Unable to control her impulses, Marinette flung her arms around his body. “It really is you!” She grinned. “I’m so happy, I never thought I’d see you again! Much less here!” She pulled away and saw his face was red for some reason.  _ Must be the alcohol, _ Marinette thought.“Where have you been all this time? I thought something bad happened to you!”

“Eh, I had to go overseas,” Chat Noir said. “It was kinda a last-minute decision. Couldn’t really tell a whole lot of people.” 

“Excuses, excuses,” Marinette wagged her finger back and forth. “But whatever. Thanks to this magical soda pop, I feel great, so I’ll forgive you.” She narrowed her eyes. “But if you do anything, I will poke your eyes out and feed your entrails to my relatives’ cows.” 

Chat Noir’s eyes widened. “Your relatives have cows?” 

“That was your takeaway from my threat?” Marinette jumped back onto her bar stool.

“Yeah, yeah,” Chat Noir grinned. “So how’s my little Princess been?” He looked down at her hair and nodded in approval. “By the way, I love the hair. It suits you since y’know. You’re an adult now.”

“We’re both adults now, Chat,” Marinette corrected him. “I think. We’re the same age, right?”

“Maybe, I think so,” Chat Noir eyed the neighboring stool. “May I?”

“Please,” Marinette said. “I’d love some company.”

“Well, I can’t say no to a pretty girl like you,” Chat Noir hopped up into the seat next to her’s, and took a swig of his beer.

“So what are you doing here?” Marinette asked. “Why are you drinking as well, Chat, and why are you doing it in disguise?”

“Honestly, I don’t know, but it made sense at the time.” Chat pressed his lips together. “I don’t want anyone to see me as my civilian self, and I guess I don’t want to be seen as Chat either. I suppose it’s just a happy medium.” He looked over at Marinette’s empty drink glasses and frowned. “But are  _ you _ okay? I never pegged you as the drinking type.” 

“Usually, no,” Marinette stared down at her drink. “But I was supporting my friend while she’s on her date, but she just left.”

“So are you just drinking to pass the time?”

“I fought with my boyfriend,” Marinette blurted out, not knowing why that happened.

Chat grit his teeth as he looked at Marinette’s bandaged hands. “Did he do that to-”

“Oh no, not at all,” Marinette pulled down her jacket’s sleeves. “Luka would never hurt me. I just had to dig something out under some rubble.” 

“Either way, I’m sorry to hear that.” Chat Noir spoke softly. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Normally, Marinette would mull that over in the back of her head. But instead, she chose to blurt out, “I shared something with Luka I hadn’t told anyone before, and it made him uncomfortable.” 

“A girl like you has secrets?” Chat Noir laughed. 

“What?” Marinette asked.

“I’m sorry, you just... You don’t seem the type to hide things from anyone. You’re too genuine.”

“But I’m not,” Marinette spoke flatly. “But anyway. You’re a superhero, so you have secrets you have to hide, right?”

“Where are you going with this?” He gasped. “Princess, do you have a secret lover-”  
“Absolutely not!” Marinette exclaimed. “It’s well. I used to be a different person in my past, and I’ve never really talked about it before with anyone.”

“Are you and your family a part of a witness protection program?” Chat Noir asked. “Is your real name like Bridgette or something?”

“Nice joke, Kitty,” Marinette took another sip of her drink. “It’s more like...” She paused for a moment. “I used to be an exotic dancer.”  _ Why did I choose that for my cover story? _

Chat Noir almost dropped his beer glass. “R-Really?!” He looked Marinette up and down. “But you seem so sweet and innocent!” 

“My name was Little Petals,” Marinette said. “The manager gave it to me because I’m so small and dainty.”

It was then Chat Noir’s turn to blush. “G-Got it... But why? I thought your family was set with the bakery making the best-baked goods in Paris.” 

“Papa had an unexpected health scare so my parents couldn’t support me as much with university,” Marinette explained. “So, since I didn’t want to burden them, I took on dancing to pay for school. And because of, well, pride, nobody found out, not even Alya. Plus it was so brief that it didn’t really even matter.” 

“I’m sorry to hear you had to resort to that,” Chat Noir frowned. “Sex work is a hard profession.”

Marinette giggled. 

“Why did you just laugh?” Chat Noir asked. “I know you’ve been drinking, but this is a serious conversation.

“It’s because you said hard after sex work,” Marinette giggled again.

And then Chat Noir burst into laughter, and then stopped when several patrons stared at him. He coughed to regain his composure. ”So like, how did Luka take it?” 

“He was super understanding about it,” Marinette felt an odd grin creep on. “He definitely seemed uncomfortable, but it was more about me being put into that situation.”

“Wow,” Chat Noir looked away. “He sounds like quite the guy, huh?”

“He is,” Marinette’s smile grew. “I love Luka Couffaine with all of my heart. Y’know, I never thought I’d feel this way about him. I don’t understand how! I mean, like, he’s amazing. He’s kind, passionate, a great listener, a great lover, loyal, and talented!” She immediately covered her blushing cheeks. “Oh God, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to ramble, it’s just, he’s so-”

“Perfect?” Chat Noir finished for her.

She nodded. “Yeah, he’s really just the best.” Marinette looked back at Chat Noir. “But enough about me! How have you been? I haven’t seen you in so long!”

“Wait, you actually wanted to see me?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Marinette giggled. “You’re my friend! And I’m going to prove that!” She waved over the bartender. “Get me and my friend here a round of shots!”

Chat Noir’s eyes widened. “Are you sure? You’re kind of-”

“I feel  _ fucking _ fantastic!” Marinette slammed down her glass. “Bartender, make us some old-fashioned shots!” 

The bartender shrugged, and she went on to do what Marinette requested. She slid over the tiny glasses to Marinette and Chat Noir, and Marinette grinned as she handed Chat his shot. 

“Are you ready?” She asked coyly.

“Absolutely,” Chat Noir said.

“Cheers!” 

They clinked their glasses and downed it all with one big gulp. Marinette’s hand rushed to cover her face while she briefly choked. But luckily for her, she was able to keep it down. Chat Noir brushed a finger over his lips and grinned back at her. Marinette couldn’t help but smile back.

She lost track of how much time went on. Somehow, despite everything that happened between them as Ladybug and Chat Noir, Marinette and Chat Noir shared a lot of laughs. They did a shot, then two more after that. Soon, they were laughing incoherently at the dumbest of things. 

“So you know what you call a lazy kangaroo?” Chat asked.

“No, I don’t,” Marinette said.

“A _ pouch _ potato!” Chat then burst out into laughter and then so did Marinette. She buried her face into the counter, and tears began streaming down her cheeks. 

“Okay, that wasn’t that funny,” Chat said. He raised his hand into the air. “Bartender, please get us some waters and bring the tab.” The bartender nodded and she immediately rushed off to do so. 

Marinette frowned. “I don’t want water.”

“Mari, please, you will regret it tomorrow if you don’t,” Chat Noir patted her on the head. “Trust me.” 

“Ugh, fiiiine,” When their waters have arrived, Marinette puffed out her cheeks while she sucked on her water straw. Then again, and again. “There,” She spat out the straw. “Are you happy now?”

In her drunken vision, somehow Marinette noticed that Chat Noir’s eyes looked distant. “Chat?” She repeated. “Are you okay?”

He cleared his throat. “Sorry. But before you started dating Luka, did you...”

Marinette fluttered her eyelashes. “Yes?”

“Did you ever love someone else before him?”  
Marinette’s body drooped with her drink. “Unfortunately.” 

“Oh... Is that so.” 

“Yeah.” She looked down at the melted ice cubes in her glass. “What about you?”

“I don’t have anyone special in my life,” Chat Noir spoke wistfully. “Never have... Probably never will.”

“Oh stop it!” Marinette took a jab at his ribs. “You’re a wonderful guy, and the best he-cat I know!”

“Best he-cat?”

“I dunno, man! Just take the compliment!” Marinette protested. “But on top of that, you’re super courteous, charming, funny, and you have a nice smile! I’m sure there’s plenty of people who would have been happy to go out with you!” 

“Perhaps,” Chat Noir had a sad smile on his face. 

“Can I ask you a personal question?” Marinette suddenly blurted out. 

“Go for it,” 

Marinette took another long swig of her drink. “You loved Ladybug, right?” 

Chat Noir’s expression became more unreadable. Even if he wasn’t wearing a mask over his eyes, Marinette was unable to decipher the look in his eyes. “More than life itself.”

“Did anyone else ever catch your eye?”

The cat-themed superhero stared down and swished around his drink. “There was someone. But I was so caught up in chasing Ladybug that I didn’t see her until too late.” 

“Oooooh,” Marinette leaned in closer. “And who might that be?”

Chat Noir backed away from her and covered his face. Marinette cocked her head to the side, and reached for his arm. He turned around and flinched at her touch. “You wouldn’t know her, Princess,” He said. “But she was amazing.” 

“Laaame,” Marinette pouted. “That’s such a cop-out answer! I shared my deepest, darkest secret with you and this is what you do? You’re so laaaame! Lamey, lame, lame! Lamer Mc Lamerson!”

“Are you okay?” Chat Noir awkwardly chuckled.

“No, because I’m around the lamest lamerpants in a lit ass club!” Marinette stood up from her barstool before she fell straight on her face. She turned herself over onto her back and began laughing hysterically. “Ahahahahahaha!” She cried out. “I feel amazing! Rejubanadered! I mean, rejuvenilated!” She paused as she gazed up at the very concerned Chat Noir. “Uh... How do you pronounce that word?”

“Do you mean rejuvenated?” Chat Noir asked.

“Ah, yes!” Marinette flashed him a giddy grin. “That’s the word!”

“You need to sleep this off,” Chat kneeled to the ground beside her.

“Noooo,” Marinette whined. Somehow, she managed to shift some of her weight back onto her knee-caps and winced. “I don’t want to sleep.” She said.

“You don’t have to, I’m just going to take you somewhere safe for now.” Chat said as he picked her up.

Marinette felt her eyelids begin to droop. “But I-”

“Trust me,” He began. “I’m going to get you over to a friend of yours, and they’ll keep an eye on you.”

Marinette didn’t have much time to protest before her head fell back into his arms. As she bounced up into the air, she heard a voice say, “Oh don’t worry, she’s just a friend of mine, I won’t let anything happen to her.” For some reason, tears dripped down Marinette’s face. She buried her cheeks against a warm jacket and sighed deeply. 

The last thing Marinette remembered was the city lights of Paris as she bounced from rooftop to rooftop in a stranger-turned-friend’s arms before she drifted asleep.


	13. The Croissant Bag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette wakes up in a random person's bedroom. And not for the reasons that you would think, it all goes downhill from there.

_ Ugh, it was that dream again.  _

Marinette stood on the rooftop of her parents’ house while gazing down at Paris. It was nighttime, and the sky was weighed down with rain clouds. The late spring breeze was a breath of fresh air. Old, crumbly leaves blew away along with flower petals in the wind. It was almost like this wasn’t a nightmare.

Soon, a dark figure leaped onto her balcony, and he perched himself on the railing a few feet away from her. She quickly noticed both of his hands were shaking. While one of his palms was open, the other held something menacing. Although his drooping ears weren’t real, Marinette still knew something was amiss.

“Hello, Princess,” Chat unenthusiastically greeted. 

“H-Hi Chat...” She spoke hoarsely. 

He lifted his chin up at her. “Are you all right?”

“No...” She looked at him and saw the intensity of his hurt expression. “Are you?”

Marinette thought she saw something drip from Chat's face onto the tile. She instinctively reached towards him, and he thrust himself away from her. “I’m sorry, I came to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Marinette repeated. "Why?" 

"I have to go.” 

“Where?” She asked. 

“Far away from here.” His voice became colder, not much unlike the hardened breeze that rolled past her wet cheeks.

“W-Why?” Her voice rose to a trill. "Why are you leaving?”

And then he opened up his clenched hand. He pushed Marinette off the balcony, and Marinette let out a horrified scream. She began to fall for forever, and she never thought she’d hit rock bottom. As she descended, she saw the faces of her fellow superhero comrades. Rena Rouge, Carapace, Viperion, King Monkey, Pegasus, Queen Bee stood above her with mocking expressions. 

“Where were you, Ladybug?” Rena spoke with her nose up in the air.

“Dude, we had to do it without you,” Carapace spoke callously.

“You are the worst!” Queen Bee scoffed. “I can’t believe I believed in the likes of you!”

“I don’t understand!” Marinette wailed. “What did I even do?”

“It’s about what you  _ didn’t  _ do,” Viperion glared at her. “We had to do it without you because  _ you  _ failed Marinette.”

“No,” Her answer came out in a short, shallow gasp. “That’s not true!” As panic took over Marinette saw the bottom of the rock. Tiny stalagmites pointed up at her, and she saw she was about on the pointiest one of them all. She reached for her earrings and saw that they were gone. Knowing there was nothing more she could do, Marinette braced herself for the end.

Thankfully, she was saved. She struggled to catch her breath as her eyes slowly peeled open. Her vision was dotted and hazy, but she knew she was alive. Marinette reached behind her and found what she thought was a red polka dot pillow. Clutching at her aching head, she forced herself to sit up. Her free hand brushed under her body and found herself under cotton sheets. 

At that moment was when Marinette realized she was alone in a stranger’s bed. Immediately, her hands shot towards her body. Thankfully, all her clothes were still on. As she adjusted her dress, Marinette glanced over to the right and found light peeking behind thick curtains. She looked to her left and found some saltine crackers, painkillers, and a glass of water on a nightstand. She silently thanked whoever left those for her and slowly ate the crackers. The salt somehow soothed her, and she took a long drink of water. When it was all good and done, she popped the painkillers as if they were candy. 

_ Chat was right, _ she thought grimly.  _ I should’ve had more water last night. _ As if on cue, her headache began raging once more. Marinette groaned, and forced herself to lay down again. Bile threatened to leak past her mouth, and she swallowed it back down. She shut her eyes and prayed for her suffering to pass.

Something began to buzz.  _ Stupid phone,  _ Marinette thought grumpily. She grumbled nonsense to herself as she hesitantly reached for her phone and placed it against her ear.

“Marinette speaking,” She mumbled.

"Oh God, oh God, Marinette, are you okay?!"

"...Alya, is that you?" Marinette asked?

“Uh, yeah it’s me!” Alya snapped. “Girl, where are you?”

“I’m not sure,” Marinette spoke quietly. “While I don’t feel like I was drugged or taken advantage of, I did wake up alone in a bed and there were water and painkillers right next to me.”

"Okay, even so, send me your location!” Alya spoke in an orderly fashion. 

“Are you sure?” Marinette asked. “Don’t you have-”

“Yes, I’m sure Marinette!” Alya’s voice to a shrill. “I don’t like the thought of you waking up alone in a stranger’s house!” Marinette reluctantly fumbled around through her messaging app, but within a minute she managed to do as Alya asked. “Okay, I’ll be over there in a cab ASAP,” Alya said. “Just hang tight, okay? And remember, if the guy is a creep, use your elbow! It can be the most dangerous part of the body!” 

“Will do,” Marinette spoke weakly. “Thanks, Al.”

After she hung up, Marinette went to check her phone messages. Immediately, she saw there were sixteen unread texts from Chloe. She groaned while opening them up and slowly scrolled through them:

Chloe: 

AHTEWGWEOIRAHRASFQRFQW

Marinette sighed. _Super drunk text Chloe?_ _Oh God. What happened now?_

Chloe:

HE ISSSNT GONDA FUCK ME TOMIGHT

So likee

We wend bk to his apt

He opened the dor for me and I about had him there

But

BUT

Like okay

We made out for 20 min at the bar

Ten we go back to his place and then

He says he wants to wait until were sober

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN I AM SO CONFUSED 

ETHAFASFARQWRQWFDSFA

Aweteafdsaeawraw

Asdfdasfeaweawrwa

sorry to bother u while ur sleepi but just wanted to let u kno

Marinette almost smiled.  _ Good for you, Chloe. You scored a man who knows boundaries. Just don’t let him get away from you.  _ She wearily rose a finger to her touchscreen and sent her a thumbs-up emoji. 

Marinette: glad to hear it worked out! we’ll talk more about this later 

For now, that communication was enough for Marinette. Her body still ached from the night before, but she knew she had to get out of here. She rose again from the bed and gripped at her head once more.  _ I’ve dealt with worse, _ Marinette told herself.  _ Let’s get out of here before this gets too weird. _

As if on cue, the bedroom door swung wide open. Marinette covered her eyes with a bedsheet from the sudden unwanted light. The hold on the fabric grew tighter as she heard the sound of footsteps. Her fists trembled, and she gritted her teeth while she braced her body for what was to come. 

“Marinette?” She slightly lowered the bedsheet and froze as she stared at the marble sculpture before her. Since she last saw him two days ago, she noticed that Adrien looked even worse for wear. As she stared at his well-toned abdomen, she saw a wan tint in his normally fair skin. A damp towel hung around his neck, his blond hair still was wet, and he wore oversized black sweatpants that threatened to fall off of him. But the thing that intrigued her most is he didn’t smell like cigarettes. Instead, her nostrils were met with the overpowering scent of cinnamon and sandalwood. She swallowed more bile. “Shit.”  _ Please don’t tell me I didn’t repeat my previous mistake!  _

“Ah, you’re awake,” Adrien smiled at her. “Good morning princess- I mean, Marinette.”

“Where are we?” She began groggily. “How did I get here? Why am I here with you? And did anything-” She was interrupted by more pain pulsating in her head. Marinette cried out and covered her face with a nearby pillow.

“Is it too bright?” Adrien asked.

“ _ Very _ ,” Marinette answered curtly. 

“Right, sorry, one sec,” Adrien closed the door behind him. “Is that any better?”

“Much,” Marinette sighed in relief. “Thank you.” _ It will be okay,  _ She reminded herself.  _ Alya will be here soon.  _

“Not a problem,” He flashed her his trademark genuine smile. 

Marinette hated how it made something swelled up within her. “You never answered my questions.”

“Right, sorry,” Adrien fumbled with his wet hair. “On the way home from the hospital last night I happened to run into Chat Noir, and he had you in his arms. Since he knew I knew you, he asked if I could take you home. And since I couldn’t remember where you lived, and I knew that Chloe was out on her date, I figured it was just as well I took you back here and let you have my bed.” 

“Oh,” Something felt off to her about his explanation, but she was too tired to further interrogate him. “Well, thanks, Adrien. I appreciate it.” 

“It’s nothing,” He said. “Are you hungry at all?”

“Not really,” Marinette forced herself to sit up again. “But I know I should eat.” 

“Well, I have just the thing that could help, but it’s in the kitchen,” Marinette gave Adrien a look. He wore a tight grin. “Right, right. One sec.” He went over into his bags and dug around until he pulled out something small. He walked back over the Marinette and gently placed a pair of sunglasses on her nose. “There you go,” Adrien said. “Does that help at all?” 

_ This is so unfair of you Adrien,  _ Marinette thought.  _ Why can’t you just let me hate you in peace?  _ “Y-Yeah, it does. Thank you.”  _ And why can’t you stop making me feel so nervous?  _

“Anyway,” Adrien began. “Let’s get you something to eat, okay?” 

Marinette forced a nod and rose from the bed. She reached and shoved her phone into her purse, and her hand felt around for her shoes. Once she had all everything, Marinette stood up and followed Adrien out of the room.  _ At least it was Adrien who found me,  _ she thought.  _ After everything that’s happened between, he could’ve just ignored Chat Noir.  _

But then Marinette remembered that’s just how Adrien was.  _ He would’ve done that for anyone of his friends. _ She thought.  _ I don’t know how he still considers me as one, but he’s not making a big deal out of this. And it doesn’t exactly feel like it is to me either. Why? Is it because I’m too tired and hungover to care? None of this makes sense!  _

And then, a new string of questions wove through her.  _ Could it be I’ve been wrong about him all this time? Even after what he did, is it possible for us to move past this? Do  _ I _ want to move past this _ ? And for only a moment, there was silence in Marinette’s head. 

But soon she was distracted by how spacious Adrien’s Airbnb was. The walls were a warm burgundy complete with a dark cherry wood trim. But everything was dark from the sofa fabric to the artwork on the walls to the curtains. Yet, there was some light thanks to the large window over the kitchen sink. But because of the window, Marinette saw it was cloudly outside. While the sunglasses and the clouds helped, she could barely handle how bright it was.

Adrien walked over the black granite countertops and grabbed a paper bag. He looked inside, tossed that bag aside, and reached for the other one and handed it to her. “Feel free to take anything leftover.” 

Marinette sat down in a chair across the counter from Adrien and looked into the bag. Inside were dozens of small, tiny pastries half-dipped in chocolate. “These are...”

“Yup,” Adrien said. “They’re from your parents’ bakery. They weren’t exactly pleased to see me, but that changed after I bought all of their chocolate croissants.”

“ _ All of them _ ?” Marinette echoed.

“Every single one,” Adrien nodded. “I bought them the day after I landed.” 

Marinette tried to remember how many croissants her parents made per day. On average, if they baked them at a consistent rate, that would be about seventy croissants. And then she thought about how many still remained in the bag. “Adrien!” She fought back laughter. “That’s at least seven croissants a day! Is that all you’ve been eating?”

“You caught me,” He spoke with a smile. “Come on! You know how obsessed I was with these things! I had to get my fill while I’m here. I missed them when I was overseas.” 

Marinette bit into her croissant. Somehow, despite being a few days old, it still tasted fresh. “Surely you can get these in Iowa?” 

“I can,” Adrien pressed his lips together. “But they just don’t taste the same. Your parents make them with something incredible that I just can’t put my finger on.” He looked at Marinette. “Do you secretly come from a family of witches?”

She flicked her wrist. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to.” 

“Fair enough,” Adrien said. 

“Are you going to see your dad again today?” Marinette asked. 

“Probably,” Adrien shrugged. “I’m planning on heading out once you’re all good to go.”

“You won’t have to worry about me for much longer,” Marinette rubbed at her arms. “Alya is on her way here to get me back home.”

“Is that so?” Marinette thought Adrien looked disappointed for a moment, but he immediately pulled his mask up. “Well, you can stay as long as you feel comfortable. Besides, it’s not like his condition hasn’t changed.” 

She bit on her lip. “I’m sorry, Adrien.”

He nodded and went to go grab another chocolate croissant. “So how did you end up drinking with Chat Noir?” He asked in between bites. “I thought you were supposed to be with Luka last night?”

And there it was. All of the alcohol-suppressed memories she didn’t want to remember came rushing back. “We argued yesterday,” Marinette spoke quietly. “To get my mind off of it I went out with Chloe, and I just so happened to run into him.”

To her shock, Adrien looked genuinely concerned for her. “Is everything okay?”

“It will be,” She nodded. “It’ll take time, but we’ll get there.”  _ What is even happening right now?  _

Adrien leaned over the counter to reach for the croissant bag. As he placed one hand into the bag, his other lightly brushed over Marinette’s bandaged hands.

Marinette immediately shrank away from him.“What are you doing?” 

“Oh,” He quickly pulled his hand away from hers. “Sorry, didn’t realize I did that.”

Marinette rubbed her hand against her side.  _ This can’t get any more awkward. _

“I know this isn’t any of my business but...” Adrien went to go reach into the cupboard for a cup. “Why did you really forgive Chloe?” 

_ I stand corrected. _ “I already told you,” Marinette began to feel uneasy, or perhaps it was nausea setting back in. “It was because I saw she changed, and I liked what I saw, so we became friends.”

“But she bullied you for years,” Adrien turned on the water faucet. “And you also  _ hated _ each other. How can you just let the bad blood between you die just like that?”

“Because Chloe isn’t the same person who had hurt me,” Marinette said. “Plus, we didn’t become friends overnight. And don’t get me wrong, we still have problems. She and I misunderstand each other’s intentions all the time, and half the time we communicate through backhanded compliments. But the important thing is that at the end of the day we’re still here for each other.” She stared at his back and noticed how visible his spine was, and saw how the crevices of his ribs threatened to burst through his skin. “Why do you ask?”

“Never mind,” Adrien’s shoulders dropped. “Forget I mentioned anything-”

“No,” Marinette spoke firmly. “Just say it,” When she realized she was being too harsh, she quickly added, “Please.”

Adrien was quiet for several moments. “I just wanted to know if there was any hope for us becoming friends again.” 

“Why would you even ask that?”  _ Stay calm, Marinette. Keep it all together. Don’t let him get to you.  _

The hurt on his face looked genuine enough, but it almost made Marinette start dry heaving. “Because I miss you.”

A fire ignited within her. “Do I have to remind you that we aren’t friends anymore because of your decisions?” 

“No you don’t,” Adrien said. “And I regretted that decision before I even made it.”

“That doesn’t make any sense!” She snapped. “How do you regret a decision you haven’t even made?”

“Listen,” Adrien’s voice shook. “It wasn’t easy, but I had to do it for your own good.”

She bit her lip. “Is this your way of you saying I wasn’t good enough for you?” 

“No!” He exclaimed. 

The fire blazed through her as an odd smile crept onto her lips. “I’ll always remember that night, you know. At first, I was so excited! I thought after all this time, we were finally getting together! And then you went cold. You became distant and emotionally detached from everyone, and no one knew why. Then one day, you just blew up in class and ditched school.”

“Marinette-”

“I am not finished!” She shouted. Her palms were sweaty, and her vision began to tint black. “We were so afraid you would do something drastic, that we weren’t sure if we would find you in time! When I found you I was so scared, but I knew that I would do anything to help you because I loved you! And then you just left without a word!” 

“It wouldn’t have been safe for you to been involved with me,” He spoke in a small voice.

“Why?” Marinette spoke in a husky voice. “If you were in trouble, then why didn’t you just say something? Everyone loved you! How can anyone help when you turn everyone away?”

“I don’t know,” He choked. 

“If you had just said something, I would’ve been here for you,” Her limbs shook violently, and then, her vision went completely black. “I had been in love with you for three fucking years, Adrien! And even when you were too stupid to realize it, you knew I would have done anything for you! So why, why did you leave me in the rain?” 

“Hawk Moth is my father,” His words were so quiet that Marinette hardly heard them. 

“Ahaha!” Marinette burst into hysterical laughter. “It all makes sense now! I thought I heard lies in the hospital, but my ears did not deceive me!” 

“Wait, how did you-”

“Does it really fucking matter?” Marinette roared. “Ah yes, the family resemblance between you and that devil of man is crystal clear now!” Streaks of venom leaked down her face as she squinted through tear-filled eyes. “You’re just as much of a manipulative monster as your father! You might claim that you’ve changed or some bullshit, but how can  _ you _ believe that? You’re always going to be fighting your inner nature! No one can be truly good as long as they’re  _ his _ spawn!” 

Soon she heard a dry sob, but it didn’t come out of her mouth. Slowly, Marinette’s vision gained color once more, and she saw Adrie hunched over the sink, shaking in pain. His body was closed in, and his arms guarded his heaving chest. 

_ What have I done? _ Marinette thought. She fell out of her chair right onto her bruised kneecap, reached for her belongings, and began to run. Shoving the door wide open, she flung it behind her as she clumsily rushed outside. 

As she ran down past the courtyard, Marinette tripped over a rock and crashed into the grass. She coughed as she spat dirt clods out of her mouth, and rolled over onto her back. Her lungs were heaving for air, and her stomach began to bubble over. Cacophonous noises leaked from her mouth along with her breakfast into nicely even chunks. She moaned from disgust and cried out in pain.

When she was done vomiting, Marinette began to scream. For what reason, she didn’t know. The westerly winds that rolled around her cut off her wailing and shut out her cries to God. Soon, her lungs gave out and her voice was gone. As her mouth felt dry, a raindrop plopped down on her forehead. And then, there was of course, another. All at once, more rain fell in buckets, and Marinette was soaked within seconds. Cars zoomed past her while she laid motionless on the ground. Peering down at her skin, grass began to stain her arms, legs, and her dress. Marinette was too tired to care anymore. She thought she saw a black blur jump into the distance, but couldn’t tell if it was real. 

It could have been an eternity of five minutes when she heard a loud gasp. Marinette heard squishing footsteps scurrying towards her, and soon, she saw a pair of orange sneakers beside her. Something blocked the rain above her, and she looked to find Alya looming over her wide-eyed. “Holy shit, Mari!” She shakily exclaimed. “What happened to you? Are you okay?” 

When Marinette remained unresponsive, Alya sounded like she bit down a sob.“It’s okay, you don’t have to talk about it right now if you don’t want to. Let’s get you home, okay?” 

Marinette slightly raised her head to respond. Alya knelt down and lent a hand to her. She weakly grasped it, and her eyes glazed over as Alya supported her to the cab. 

At some point, Alya guided Marinette up the stairs to her apartment. Through disoriented eyes, she saw Chloe swing open the door and gasp. Luka immediately rushed to her side and held her close to him. Her soaking wet body was then dried off before being thrust into an oversized pullover sweater and leggings. Luka repeatedly stroked her hair and kissed her forehead, but all the strength had left Marinette’s body. He then carried her to bed, and gently slid her under the covers. He then got under them with her, and Marinette thought she felt something wet land on her face. 

Yet, at the same time, she felt nothing. Her vision was blurry, her mind was fuzzy, and her body ached. Numbness overcame her with exhaustion, and somehow she managed to fall asleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! Great news, I am back to my regular Wednesday upload schedule! 
> 
> It's important (and exciting) for me to share that we're nearing the final few chapters! I got bits and pieces written for each chapter that remains, and my hope is all 4 of them will be uploaded on time. If all goes well, the final chapter will upload on 10/28. If anything changes, updates will be listed in the end notes. 
> 
> I know this chapter was perhaps a touch too dramatic, but if you've read this far you'll know this entire story is a giant melodrama. Hopefully you all will want to stick around until the end! Until next time, see you next week!


	14. Rafflesia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More trouble on the arise makes its way into Paris, and Marinette has to figure out how to deal with it.

Marinette wasn’t sure when she snapped out of her self-loathing. But once she did, her eyes focused on her door again and saw it was slightly cracked open. Through the crack, she heard a whispering duet. Even so, the sound made her cringe. She groaned, flopped over on her side, and covered her ears with her pillow. Her hips pulled her knees towards her chest, and she sighed aloud. The whispering seemed to grow louder, but Marinette didn’t care to listen to it. All her ears craved was pure silence. Her head rang strong with the sound of Adrien’s sobs, and the earworm remained on a torturous repeat. 

Whether she wanted it or not, the door eventually creaked open. Luka’s eyes widened. “Mari?” Immediately, he raced towards the bed to kneel by her side.

“Luka,” Marinette reached towards his face. “You’re here.”

“Of course I am,” His smile was strained, but the sight made Marinette feel a faint glow within her. “How are you feeling?”

“Not great,” Marinette pulled away. “But... It’s better now that you’re here.” 

He lightly kissed her on the forehead. “I’m so sorry I shoved you away last night.” His voice thick with emotion.

“Luka, it’s okay,” Marinette whispered. “I know what it looks like, but that’s not what happened.”

“Mari, it’s okay,” Luka began. “You don’t need to excuse whatever that person did to you.”

“No,” Marinette shook her head. “Chat Noir was with me the entire night at the bar. I drank too much, he ran into Adrien, and Adrien took me back to his BnB.” 

Luka’s eyes narrowed. “You were at Adrien’s last night?”

She nodded weakly. “Does that bother you?”

Immediately, he sighed in relief. “Quite the opposite, actually. I don’t like Adrien, but I know he’d never take advantage of you.” 

Marinette forced a nod to respond and glanced down at her hands. The bandages looked like they were freshly changed. That’s nice, she thought. “But does that make you feel okay?”

Luka took one of Marinette’s hands. “While knowing you weren’t hurt by someone makes me feel much better, I’ll be okay when you are.”

Uncomfortable with the affection, Marinette weakly asked, “Is Alya still here?” 

He gently rubbed at her hand. Even though it should hurt, his touch felt good to Marinette. “She left a while ago.”

“What about Nino?” She asked.  
“He doesn’t know a thing,” Luka said. “His phone broke this morning before he went to work.”

“How?”

“Alya said it happened when he and Hayden were moving equipment over to the venue last night,” Luka explained as he got up from the ground to join her on the bed. 

“Talk about bad timing,” Marinette muttered. 

Luka nodded as he gingerly placed an arm around Marinette’s shoulder. She allowed it to remain and surprised herself by pressing her body against his. For a while, they lay together in silence. At some point, Marinette sat up against her pillows and buried her face into Luka’s shirt. His scent intoxicated her with an odd sense of calm, and she let herself breathe it in, and then again, and again. _I hope this moment never ends._

And then it did. “So, if you were at Adrien’s, how did you end up in the rain?” Luka asked. “I thought you and Adrien were doing better.”

She gulped. “Not after what I said to him,” Marinette barely spoke above a whisper. “I can’t believe I blacked out like that! Like, one minute we’re okay, and then the next he’s crying. I don’t get what happened.” 

Luka’s brows furrowed. “You made Adrien _cry_? Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure Luka,” Marinette leaned into his shoulder a little further. 

“What the hell did you say to him?”

“Again, I blacked out, so I don’t remember everything,” Marinette clutched at her head. “But I think I compared him to his father.”

He shook his head. “Yikes. That’ll do it.” 

“Who also happens to be Hawk Moth,” Marinette meekly added.

Luka’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?” Marinette weakly nodded Immediately, he pinched at his nose and went silent. 

“I know, it’s bad,” Marinette pulled her face away from Luka’s shoulder.

“Yeah, not going to lie, that’s pretty fucked,” Luka’s agreement made her heart sink.

“Are you mad at me now too?” Marinette asked as her palms began to sweat. 

“I’m not mad,” Luka began. “I’m just... Surprised.”

“But he has to know I didn’t mean it, right?” Marinette began sheepishly. “Again, it just kinda came out! I was hungover! I don’t know what came over me! I was so horrified by my behavior that I ran away without even apologizing.”

“I believe you-” Luka cut himself off. “Wait, you ran away without apologizing to him?” 

“But he hurt me,” Marinette tried to defend herself half-heartedly. “So that’s okay, right?”

“No, it’s not!” Luka exclaimed. Marinette shrank away from the sudden loudness in his voice. Immediately he glanced down at his hands guiltily as he forced himself up from the bed. “What he did to you so long ago is unacceptable, but you’re not being fair either. Just because Adrien hurt you doesn’t give you the right to hurt him.” 

“Why are you defending him?” Marinette’s voice rose. “I thought you didn’t like him.” 

“You’re right, I don’t,” Luka rose from the bed. “But-”

Suddenly, their world began to shape. Luka lost his balance and fell back onto the mattress. Marinette cried out and clung to Luka’s arm as the earth’s quaking persisted. Several picture frames fell off shelves, and they made their descent to the hardwood floor. With seconds glass splattered everywhere, and the tiny shards scattered towards Marinette’s closet. After another moment, the tremor ended which caused Luka and Marinette to sigh with relief. 

“Was that an earthquake?” Marinette asked.

Luka’s frown grew deeper. “I don’t know.”

Suddenly, the door flew wide open as Chloe burst into the room. She wore her freshly-ironed cafe uniform, and a long trail of eyeliner stretching down from her eyelid to her chin. Her hair clung in tangles, and there was a nice red blemish on the tip of her nose. “Turn on the TV, now!” She demanded. 

Immediately, Luka reached for the remote and pressed the on button. The screen’s reflection faded in a flash of images, and soon, there was another tremor. The reporter on the screen cried out and struggled to retain her composure. 

“R-Recently, a giant flower has blossomed on the roof of Gabriel Agreste’s mansion,” The reporter began nasally as her fingers pinched the bridge of her nose. “The flower has released a pungent odor in the air as well as several large flies. Please remain indoors, and do not go towards this side of Paris until the Akumas are-” 

Behind the reporter, the leaves began to blow off the trees. One of the aforementioned giant flies appeared, and Marinette almost gagged looking at it. The giant bug’s disgusting iridescent wings flapped in the air, and a large gust of wind hurled towards the reporter. The last thing the camera recorded was the gust pushing the device into the air, and colliding with the ground. 

Soon, all Marinette, Luka, and Chloe were left with was static. Marinette covered her mouth with trembling hands, and sweat trickled down from her forehead to stain her brow. Beside her, Luka had become white as a sheet. Meanwhile, Chloe was also anxious but was pretending to be preoccupied with her reflection.

“Oh God, why did neither of you tell me I have a long black line on my face?” Chloe groaned. “Ugh, now I have to go fix it!” 

“I think you have more important-” Luka began as Chloe walked away.

Marinette placed a hand on his shoulder. “Let her,” She stared towards her window, and then reached for her cell phone from her dresser. She quickly stuffed it into the pocket of her sweatpants, and stretched her arms. 

Immediately, Luka went to block her view. “I know what you’re thinking, but you can’t,” He began. “You’re in no condition to go fight whatever that is.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Marinette pushed her messy bangs into place. “Paris needs Ladybug. Besides, Chat Noir can’t fight those creatures alone.”

“But Chat Noir fought Hawk Moth alone,” Luka pointed out.

“But _this_ isn’t a one-person job,” Marinette gestured at the blank television screen. “You saw the footage. There’s no way this can work. I have to go.” 

He rushed over to pull her close and kissed her forehead. “I suppose I can’t convince you. I know you’re more than capable of handling this, but I’m still worried about you.” 

“I know,” Marinette pulled herself off the bed. “I’ll go survey the scene first, and if I can’t handle it, I’ll come back for you and the others.”

Luka still looked uneasy but nodded none the less. “I believe in you and your judgments, but please be careful, okay?” 

Marinette kissed him on the lips. “You can count on it. Just keep Chloe safe and out of this room, all right?” 

He kissed her back. “I’ll do my best. Just be careful, okay?” 

Marinette nodded and uneasily walked towards the window. As her hands brushed over the windowsill, she noticed her fingers had started shaking. Marinette took a deep breath. There was no time for fear. “Tikki, spots on!” 

Ladybug pulled up the window and jumped out to the ground. Whipping out her yo-yo, she swung it towards a nearby roof before leaping onto it. Soon, the roofs had become like stepping stones to her. While she flew through the air, Ladybug was careful to watch her footing. Unfortunately, despite her power-up through her transformation, her hangover headache hadn’t dissipated, her left knee still throbbed from the previous night, and her knuckles still stung.

 _Luka was right,_ Ladybug thought. _Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe I shouldn’t go alone._

The thought almost made her face plant into a window. _Get it together, Marinette!_ Ladybug lightly tapped her cheek with her knuckles. _This may be acceptable when you’re your normal, pathetic self, but not now! Paris needs a hero who can save them and get rid of these weird flies! You can do this alone!_

Although her aching bones told her otherwise, it didn’t take Ladybug long to reach Agreste's mansion. As she jumped from a round rooftop to a concrete landing, she quickly spotted the giant flies. “Eww!” She exclaimed. There were six formidably big bugs, and they all about the size of the average eight-year-old. Somehow the flies’ loud buzzing didn’t make her headache worse, but her ears couldn’t stop popping from the wind gusts.

Somehow, Ladybug almost failed to notice the pungent odor in the air. While the stench barely made it through her cold-clogged nostrils, the smell of rotten meat was enough to make her briefly start heaving. _Where is this horrible smell coming from?_ She thought. Plugging her nose, Ladybug let her eyes survey the scene some more. Despite the flies roaming around, she knew it wasn’t them that was the source of the repugnant scent. 

Quickly, she managed to find it. Behind a fly’s wing, there peeked a giant flower with five large speckled red petals. When Ladybug swung from one tree to another to get a better look, she noticed that the petals resembled decaying flesh. In the center where the pistil would normally be, she saw an enlarged opening. The blossom sat on top of the Agreste Mansion tower, on top of where the stain and sat where the stained glass window used to be. One of the flies spun around it and scratched its feet together as it scurried around midair. 

_That’s a rafflesia._ For a brief moment, she reflected on her childhood. Marinette and Nino were eight-years-old, and she was watching him play Pokemon. While Marinette was easily able to recognize Squirtle, there was another creature she didn’t know. Nino’s Squirtle was in the amidst of battling a cobalt blue mushroom-like creature with a red flower on its head. Drool dripped down from its juicy plump lips, and its eyes were closed as if it were asleep.

Marinette pointed at the screen. “What Pokemon’s that?” 

“That’s Gloom,” Nino said, not looking up from his Gameboy.

Marinette made a face. “Why does it look so weird?” 

“I heard it’s based on this flower called a rafflesia,” Nino said, his eyes still focused on his game. “It’s really big, but also smells super bad!”

“How bad?” Marinette asked.

“I dunno,” Nino button mashed. “That’s what Kim said anyway.”

“But it may not be true then,” Marinette said. “Kim might’ve been lying to us.”

“Whatever,” Nino began before he cried out. “Agh! Stupid Gloom! I forgot it was also a grass type!” 

When Ladybug snapped out of her memories, a faint smile clung to her lips. The warmth soon melted away as the flies buzzed together to create another tremor. Ladybug almost lost her balance but managed to catch herself as she clung to a nearby street post. She looked back over at the mansion and began to climb the street post. When she was high up enough, she used her yo-yo to swing over from the other side and land impeccably on the other side of the gates. The dark flies loomed overhead, and the powerful scent grew even stronger. Ladybug’s eyes scanned the premises, but she was unfortunately unable to detect any sign of Chat Noir. 

Shaking her head, she stared back up at the flies. They were several stories above her and showed no desire to fall to the ground. _I should try to lure one down, but should I wait for Chat first?_ She tapped her knuckles against her cheek again. _No, no! I’m sure he’s on his way! I can handle this without him for now!_

She took a deep breath and tried to ignore the lingering traces of doubt she felt towards accomplishing this new goal. Ladybug twirled her yo-yo in the air, and swung up from the gutter onto the rooftop. The flies were several yards away, and they quickly picked up on her presence. They regrouped and flapped their wings above her. Ladybug was thrown backward and barely managed to grasp the iron fencing on the roof. Still caught in the gusty wind, Ladybug grit her teeth as she swung her body midair as she tried to cross over. She clutched at one bar tightly as she slowly reached for another one. Soon, she got the swinging action down, and thankfully, she was able to make it to the other side. 

Struggling to catch her breath, Ladybug pressed her back against the rooftop and looked upwards. The flies circled above her in their chaotic formation, and their noisiness continued to drone on her. Her eyes narrowed as she looked down from the cloudy sky at the yo-yo she had put around her hips again. _I could pull one down with my yo-yo and try to fly on it,_ Ladybug thought. That would help solve part of the problem. But how will I take down these things?

After a short and desperate moment of reflection, an idea came to mind. _Didn’t Alya say that the elbow was the most dangerous part of the human body?_ She thought. _Let’s find out._

Ladybug squinted at the fly closest to her and whirled her yo-yo at it. Luckily for her, she managed to get it wrapped around a wing. However, Ladybug was ill-prepared for the fly to drag her around during its aimless zooming. She screamed as she clutched to the feeble strings of her yo-yo, and tried to look towards the top of the fly. She kept getting knocked around mid-air, and the fly failed to run into anything. But soon enough, Ladybug fell into the tree on the other side of the gates. And then before she knew it, she was crashing down to earth.

Thankfully, that same tree caught her fall. She winced as she weaved herself in and out of the branches to climb down to the ground, and landed into the grass with a loud sigh. “Well, _that_ was a stupid idea...” Ladybug mumbled to herself as her yo-yo fell on her head. Groaning, she immediately picked it up and made it into her communicator. “Chat, where are you?” She cried out. “We have a huge problem in the Agreste Mansion!” 

She waited for his communicator to blink back, but nothing came. Ladybug rose it again to her lips, and shouted, “Hey! Can you please come by?” More agonizing seconds passed, and her pleas still went unanswered. “Please, Chat! Say something! I can’t do this alone!” She paused for a moment before adding, “I need you!” 

Again, all there was silence. Ladybug buried her face into her hands and let out a frustrated scream. _What if he’s been compromised? What if he’s just not coming?_ She shook her head. _Whatever. If Chat can’t show up, it’s okay. I can still do this without him, right? He defeated Hawk Moth without me! I can do this, right?_

Ladybug heard her hip joint pop as she lifted herself from the ground, and an odd rush of pain flooded through her right leg. “Today’s just not my day, huh?” She muttered aloud. “But no worries,” She added uneasily as she began to unsuccessfully hype herself up. “I... Can do this. I can totally do this.” 

After several more minutes of fighting the giant flies, Ladybug fell to the ground panting. _I can’t do this,_ she thought. Either she was very out of practice as Ladybug, or her injuries from the last day put more strain on her body than she expected. 

_I hate having to rely on this, but it looks like I have no choice._ She thought grimly. “Lucky Charm!” Ladybug threw her yo-yo up into the air, and soon, a heavy polka dot box fell into her arms.

Her stomach dropped. _Nononononono,_ she thought. _Why? Why can’t it be a giant fly swatter? Why the freaking Miracle Box? I can do this by myself-_

Immediately, her thoughts were interrupted by another gust of wind that hurled her back into the white brick fence. She rubbed at her shoulder and looked back at the flies. _Marinette, we can’t overthink this, period._ She told herself. You’re over your head, you need their help. And this can’t be a secret anymore. 

Stiffly rising up from the ground, Ladybug hurled her yo-yo into the air and guided herself to a nearby alleyway. “Spots off,” She spoke aloud. In a flash, she was Marinette again, and she could see faint brown marks forming on her arms. _Alya is going to kill me,_ She realized. _And not just because I’m badly bruised the day before her wedding._

“What are you doing, Marinette?” Tikki asked.

“Something I should’ve done from the start,” Marinette reached into her pocket and quickly found the phone contact she needed. _Please answer, please answer!_

Soon, she heard the sound of someone picking up the phone. “A-Alya, are you there?”

“M-Mari!” Alya exclaimed. “You’re awake! Are you feeling any better?”

“Not really,” Marinette said. “But I need to talk to you. Is now a bad time?”

“Normally I’d say yes because there’s a giant exotic plant on the Agreste’s fucking roof,” Alya began. “I’d be there getting footage for the Ladyblog, but Nino has me on house arrest. Totally not salty about it all, but sure! What’s up?” 

“Is Nino there now?” Marinette asked.

“Yeah, he’s here.”

“Great, I need to talk to both of you. Now. In person. The sooner, the better.”

“Mari, I’m glad to hear you feel better, but are you sure now’s the best time?” Alya asked.

“I’m sorry, but has to be now,” Marinette spoke firmly.

“I literally just said that Nino has me on house arrest,” Alya spoke defensively. “There’s no way he’s gonna let us go-”

“Then hand me over to him,” Marinette spoke briskly. “Please, this is extremely important.” 

“Fine,” Marinette heard shuffling noises in the background, and soon she heard the phone be transferred over to a different person.

“Mari?” Nino asked. “Is that you?”

“Hey, Nino! I know this is a bad time, but you and Alya need to come to my apartment, now.”

“Dude, Mari,” Nino began. “Have you looked outside? There’s a fucking Akuma out there-”

“I know!” Marinette fought to control her temper as she eyed a nearby unclaimed bicycle. “That’s what this is about. I’ll meet you back at the apartment. I know this is crazy, but I promise when you come over I’ll explain everything.” 

“Uh, Mari, are you okay?” Nino asked, his voice thick with concern. “Alya said you might’ve hit your head-”

“No, I’m not,” Marinette interrupted. “But I will be once all of this is over.” 

“Got it,” Nino spoke uneasily. “We’ll be there. We’ll see you soon.” 

With a click, Marinette thrust her phone back to her pocket and rushed towards the bicycle. Even with no helmet in sight, Marinette hastily thrust her body onto the seat and pedaled down the streets. 

As she made her way back to her apartment, Marinette noticed how thick the clouds in the sky had become. _Of course it’s going to rain again!_ She thought aggravatedly. _Can anything go right today?_

On cue, there was another quake. Marinette lost control of the handles, and flew into the air and crashed into a tiny patch of grass. _Fuck this,_ Marinette bit her lip and tasted blood. _Walking it is._

Eventually, she saw her apartment building again and a surge of hope flooded through her. Her feet carried her towards the door, and she hurled herself back into her home. Nino and Alya were both seated on the sofa, Luka in the armchair, and Chloe was standing around with her arms crossed. 

The blond gasped and rushed over to embrace Marinette. “There you are! Luka said you had left for some fresh air, but we didn’t know where you ended up!”

Luka exchanged a look with Marinette and she nodded in his general direction. Even though her body shook and her footsteps were unsteady, she made the trek back into her room. After tossing a few piles of clothes aside, she managed to find the Miracle Box. Taking a deep breath, she picked it up and carried it outside. Her heart was inside of her throat, and Marinette caught herself praying. _Please let this Lucky Charm be guiding me in the right direction, please let my intuition be right, please don’t let my friends hate me, please have them still love me._

Nino was the first to notice the strange box in her arms. “What’s that?”

“That’s the Miracle Box,” Marinette said as she placed the box onto the coffee table. 

“Cool, care to tell us what it does?” Alya asked. “And why did you call us over?”

“It has all of the Miraculous in it,” Marinette spoke quietly.

“Okay, great, but-” Alya cut herself off. “Wait. Hold up. All of the Miraculous are inside of this box? Girl, why do you have this?” Her face paled. “Marinette, what’s going on? Why do you have something so important with you?”

Marinette closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. She felt Luka’s comforting hand land on her shoulder. She had to do this for him, for Alya, and everyone else in Paris. 

“I’m sorry, Alya, Chloe, and Nino,” Marinette barely spoke above a whisper. “There’s something that I’ve been hiding from all of you for quite some time. I won’t keep this a secret from you all much longer.”

“Keep what?” Alya spoke desperately. “What’s happening? Mari, you’re scaring me! What are you talking about?”

An odd smile crept onto her lips. “Hello, friends. I’m Ladybug, and I need your help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I saw the recent comments, and while I haven't had a chance to respond to them yet, I did see there was an overwhelming amount of concern regarding how Marinette handled the situation with Adrien. I had planned to address that in the story before seeing feedback. I hope this shall suffice. We're almost near the end my friends, I hope you shall continue to enjoy the ride! And as always, thank you for reading A Bouquet of Garbage! ~Fae


	15. A Bag of Animal Crackers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug gathers her troop to face her unnerving foe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies! I'm posting this as a warning, but this chapter is VERY long! I'm talking about 7,000+ words! Unless I really surprise myself with the next two chapters, this will be the longest chapter of ABoG. I hope you all enjoy it!

After Marinette became Ladybug, the room entered a long and enduring period of silence. Yet, despite the lack of noise, the wordlessness of her friends spoke volumes. Nino stared down listless at his arms, and his fingers picked at the reddening skin around his elbows. Chloe’s mouth hung agape, and her vocals were only able to muster garbled noises. Luka still stood behind Ladybug and confidently rested his hand on her shoulder. But what bothered Ladybug most of all was Alya’s quietness. She had taken her glasses off, and her face had dug a hole into her hands. Her body was locked up, and for a moment Ladybug thought her friend had forgotten to breathe.

Finally, Luka decided to break the silence. “So, Marinette’s Ladybug. Cool, isn’t it?”

“Sure it is,” Alya spoke sourly. She slightly pulled her hands back, and they still obscured her expression. 

For several moments, the words unspoken grew more strained.  _ Maybe I can use the tension as a weapon to fight the Akuma,  _ Ladybug thought. 

“Okay,” Nino stared at Ladybug and sighed. “I... Really don’t know what to say, man. I’d like to say more, y’know, because I have a ton of questions, but those can be answered later,” He straightened his posture. “What do you need for us to do?”

“ _ Us _ ?” Alya’s voice sharply rose. Her hands aggressively fell to her sides, and Ladybug could see the livid glare in her tear-filled eyes. “What do you mean, ‘us’, Nino?”

“Babe,” Nino began. “I know it’s a lot to take in, I’m still shocked too. I get why you’re upset, but-”

“Easy for you to say,  _ babe _ !” Alya jumped up onto her feet. “You didn’t just find out your best friend has been lying about who she was for the past ten years!” 

“She’s my friend too-” Nino tried to cut in.

“Yeah, but she’s  _ my _ best friend!” Alya shouted. She looked back over at Ladybug and began laughing while clutching her purse strap. “This, this is all just a joke, right? You can’t be Ladybug. Marinette, you’re the least assertive person I know! How many times have I told you to be more confident and to believe in yourself? How can you be a wallflower when you’re a symbol of empowerment?”

“Dude, Alya,” Nino waved his hands in front of himself. “Chill for a sec, would ya?”

“Uh, excuse me?” Alya glared at her fiance. “You want me to  _ chill _ ? I’m getting married tomorrow, and I just found out my maid of honor is a fucking superhero! No, I will not fucking chill!” She narrowed her eyes and put her face near Nino’s. “But how can  _ you  _ be so calm? If Marinette is your friend too, why aren’t  _ you  _ upset?”

“Dude, I’m upset just as much as you are!” Nino defended himself. “But I also know Marinette well enough that she has her reasons regarding why she couldn’t talk about it. I trust her, and I think she’d like it if you could do the same-”

“Why?” Alya slammed her glasses back on her nose. “So she can go lie to us again?” 

“I never intended on keeping this a secret for so long,” Ladybug spoke up with a slight waver in her voice. “Alya, if I could’ve told you, I would’ve! I’m sorry I kept this a secret for so long, but there were so many times when I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t because-”

“I don’t care,” She spoke coldly. “I would’ve kept my mouth shut for you, you know. I would’ve done anything for you, Ladybug, Marinette, whatever your real name is.” 

“Seriously,” Nino spoke exhausted. “Alya, I get you’re pissed the fuck off, but she said she was sorry. We don’t have time to be arguing about this.”

“Why the hell are you defending her so much, Nino?” Alya asked briskly. 

“Because she’s my friend.” 

“Well, I’m-I’m-” At that moment, Alya’s eyes shrank wide with realization. Immediately, she buried her face in her hands and stormed out of the apartment. Nino rushed out the door after her, leaving Luka, Chloe, and Ladybug among themselves.

Ladybug shuffled her feet and caught another glimpse at Luka and Chloe’s expressions. Luka, as always, appeared to be nonchalant. Chloe, on the other hand, looked as if she were in some sort of trance. Ladybug wasn’t sure if she were seeing things, but she thought she saw drool drip down the blond’s chin. 

_ Maybe I should’ve waited to tell everyone I’m Ladybug until later,  _ she thought.  _ Oh well. Guess it’s too late for that. _

A few moments later, Nino slid back inside and gently closed the door behind him. 

“Is she okay?” Luka asked.

Nino looked away and kept his eyes on the door. “She will be. She just, you know, cracked. I’d give her a few minutes.”

Ladybug looked down at her feet.  _ No, this isn’t the time to feel guilty! We have to save Paris! As Nino said, Alya will be fine. She just needs some time to process this.  _ She sighed.  _ But God, am I a terrible friend.  _

At that moment, another tremor rolled through Paris. It was larger than last time, causing several small objects to fall off the shelves. The sound of the crashing vases barely managed to snap Chloe out of her daze, and when that happened she absentmindedly rubbed at her eyes.

“A-Anyway,” Ladybug forced out, “Is everyone else comfortable doing this?”

“I am,” Luka immediately spoke up. “You can always count on me, Ladybug.”

“Thanks,” Ladybug awkwardly smiled. “Nino, Chloe? What about you two?”

“Umm, yeah, that’s fine.” Chloe stared down at her hands. 

“Are you sure?” Ladybug asked.

“Yeah, totally,” Chloe spoke dismissively. “I’m super. Like how you’re a superhero, Dupain Cheng.” 

“Chloe, I-”

“I know, another time.” She stretched her arms and took a deep breath. “But yeah. I’m... Okay being Queen Bee again.” 

“Nino?”

He slowly pulled his attention away from the door to focus on Ladybug. “Yeah,” he began. “I’m in.” He weakly gave her a thumbs up. While the gesture seemed forced, something tugged at her heartstrings nonetheless. 

She walked over and lifted up the top lid of the box. Ladybug looked down and reached in to grab the Miraculous. Slowly, she carefully picked up a bee-shaped hairpin, a turtle-themed bracelet, and a snake-themed ouroboros bracelet. She turned back to face her friends-turned-comrades, and a surge of anxiety pounded through her. Ladybug took a deep breath, then she looked over at her friends.

“Everyone,” she began, “I know you all, above everyone else, are the best, if not the only, people that I can trust enough to do this with me. You all know and understand what needs to be done. So please, above all else, be careful.”

The trio nodded, then parted their hands open for Ladybug. As she dropped each Miraculous into their hands, the apartment door creaked open. Slowly, Alya stepped through the doorway, keeping her face hidden from everyone else. Nino, who had still kept his eyes on the door, immediately looked away. 

_ Are they fighting now? _ Ladybug rubbed her hands together guiltily.  _ Is this my fault?  _ She kept her eyes on her best friend, and saw that she still refused to make eye contact with anyone. Ladybug cleared her throat. “Alya, I know I have a lot of explaining to do, and I would love to do that now, but-”

“We don’t have time,” she finished for her. “I know. You’re right, we need to save Paris.” She slowly took a step towards Ladybug, and her eyes were still on the ground. “I’m sorry for overreacting earlier. It’s been a very stressful week.”

“You can say that again,” Ladybug laughed weakly. “Can I still ask you-”

“Absolutely,” Alya cut her off again. “I’d love to.”

Although her friend’s body language and tone dictated hesitance, Ladybug nodded and reached back into the Miracle Box. With the fox-shaped necklace in her hands, she held out the chain to Alya. The other woman grabbed it and carefully fastened it around her neck. 

Soon, four Kwamis burst out of their Miraculouses and stared at their yielders in awe. They squealed excitedly, and then looked over at Ladybug in confusion. 

“You told more people, Master?” Wayzz asked.

“Sorry,” Ladybug began. “But I couldn’t fight them alone.”

“Very well, wonderful master,” Pollen smiled. “I am very happy to be working with Chloe again.”

Chloe let out an ugly sniffle and wiped it on the sleeve of her jacket. “T-Thanks, Pollen,” she forced out. 

“So what are we doing?” Trixx asked.

“We’re fighting,” Sass answered. “Right?”

Luka nodded. “We need to help Ladybug. We’re the only ones who can.”

Sass nodded. “Very well then.”

The untransformed quartet looked at each other before looking back down on their Miraculouses. Soon, from their lips burst out a chorus of transformation phrases.

“Trixx, let’s pounce!” 

“Pollen, buzz on!” 

“Wayzz, shell on!” 

“Sass, scales slither!” 

Orange, turquoise, green, and yellow glows filled the room, and soon, everyone had transformed. Ladybug looked over at her friends, and they now had become superheroes like her. Aside from the obvious aging, it looked as if hardly any time had passed since they all last transformed. Everyone’s eyes fluttered about their silhouettes, and their pupils shrank back as they continued to marvel in silence. 

Ladybug twisted her body on her heel, gesturing for the others to follow. She silently led the way into her bedroom and pulled up the window. She was the first to jump out the hole to jump towards the ground, and she managed to land elegantly on her feet. Somehow, Ladybug’s headache had mostly gone away alongside the brief painful pulls on her hands and knees. 

When everyone was out, she led the way as they jumped back up onto the rooftops. An eerie, unsettling quiet hung over them all. To Ladybug, it was almost as unnerving as the monsters she was about to fight again. 

“So, what have you tried?” Carapace struggled to sound casual as he ran behind the group.

“I tried to ride one,” Ladybug said. “It didn’t go over too well.” 

“Really?” Queen Bee chimed in. “Normally, you always know what to do.”

“Well, it would have worked but I have some injuries that haven't healed,” Ladybug explained. “They affect my ability to fight as Ladybug. While I do get a boost in physical strength, agility, and dexterity, it only can do so much.”

“That makes sense,” Carapace’s eyes were fixated on the horizon. “Well, you don’t have to try so hard, because I’ve got your back.”

Queen Bee groaned. “Save the puns for Chat.”

“Someone’s gotta when he’s not around,” Carapace retorted.

“Yeah, I don’t think so.” Ladybug shook her head and saw that they were back at the mansion. Aside from the rapidly piling piles of brick and stone, the scenery looked relatively the same. The stench hit her square in the face, but Ladybug once again was able to keep down her stomach acid.

“Oh my God!” Queen Bee covered her mouth. “This smells awful!” 

“I think I’m about to vomit,” Rena Rouge gulped something back as her own hands rose to her face. 

Viperion blinked. “Wow.” 

“Damn,” Carapace peered closer. “Have you noticed this sort of looks like a Vileplume?”

“Eh,” Viperion nodded. “Yeah, it kinda does.” 

“Guys, focus, please!” Ladybug corrected mid-sentence. 

“Do you have a plan?” Rena asked.

“Sort of,” Ladybug looked over at her lover and tried to not check him out too much in his skintight bodysuit. “Viperion, I need you to use your Second Chance. As you do it, let us know what is the best way to fight off the flies. If we can eliminate them, getting into the flower will be much easier.” 

Viperion nodded and turned his back to the others before shouting out, “Second Chance!” 

Queen Bee looked back over at Ladybug. “Hey, umm, LB, question. Why do we need to get into the flower?”

“I think that’s where our supervillain is hiding,” Ladybug answered. “I didn’t see anyone else about, so they have to be in the rafflesia.”

“Do you think it’s Hawk Moth?” Rena Rouge asked.

“I don’t think so,” Ladybug laughed awkwardly.  _ He’s dying. But it also would be just like him to fake his death to lure me in with a false sense of security. But why would he take it so far? _

“Ugh, what if it smells even worse in there?” Queen Bee complained. “God, Ladybug, why can’t you Lucky Charm us some nose plugs or something?” 

“Queen Bee, you should know better than anyone that’s not how my ability works,” Ladybug spoke resentfully. “It’s all at random.”

“But aren’t you also the embodiment of good luck?” Rena Rouge added. 

“Yes but,” Ladybug struggled to contain her frustration. “I never figured out to make my Lucky Charm bend to my will.” 

“All right,” Viperion’s clear voice cut through everyone else’s. “I know what we are supposed to do.”

“Thank God,” Queen Bee loudly sighed.

Ladybug looked over at Viperion. “What did you find out?” 

“Well, whatever that smell is, it won’t go away when we kill a fly,” Viperion began. 

“Great,” Rena Rouge rolled her eyes. “Then should I summon a bunch of nice-smelling flowers to fix it?”

“No,” Viperion shook his head. “You tried that, and that ended horribly.” He narrowed his eyes at Rena. “Clone Carapace. As long as his clones can put up the shields, one clone can be with us at a time. We should need only six including the real Carapace.” 

Queen Bee nodded. “So then what do I do?” 

“Just use your Venom whenever,” Viperion suggested. “It didn’t seem to matter when you used it, but it still helped.”

“So, are we ready?” Carapace asked.

Rena took a deep breath and reached for her flute. “Mirage!” She cried out before she played her tune. Soon, multiple clones burst forth of Carapace and gathered around everyone. 

The real Carapace grinned and gathered his clones. “All right, me dudes,” his voice rang out. “One of you needs to stay with me, everyone else’s gotta be with the others.” 

The Carapace clones gave him the thumbs up. Ladybug thought she heard Rena sigh from nearby, and then focused her eyes back on the flies. They still were being as irritating as ever, but Ladybug took comfort that they would soon be exterminated.

“Go!” she cried out, and everyone proceeded to leap into action. One of the Carapace clones rushed behind Ladybug and gave her his shield for her to leap onto. As she bounced into the air, she threw her yo-yo at the fly. Once the yo-yo was coiled around the fly’s body, she hung down and watched the Carapace clone follow her. 

He then ran after Ladybug and jumped into the air to grab onto her feet. As the fly went hurling towards the mansion, the clone tossed his shield like a chakram and watched the fly be sliced in half. Slowly, Ladybug and the Carapace clone fell to the ground. While she was able to fall and land with grace, the illusion faded into dust as it collided with the earth. 

For a moment she froze up as a small blue feather danced in the wind.  _ But an Amok? Why?  _ She shook her head, and then threw her yo-yo to catch it.

_ All right, that’s one,  _ Ladybug told herself.  _ Five more to go. Let’s see how everyone else is doing. _

She looked over her shoulder when a sudden shriek pierced her ears. Immediately, her head towards an odd struggle. Queen Bee dangled around in mid-air with her hair tangled in the fly’s feet. 

“Oh God, it’s tasting me!” She cried out.

“It was their foot!” Rena Rouge shouted back as she faced her own fly. 

“But flies taste with their feet, Rena!” Queen Bee wailed.

“Guys, focus!” Viperion shouted over them. Soon, he looked down at his Ouroboros bracelet and saw it flash. “Uh, Ladybug, I got to hide-” Viperion began before he gestured for a Carapace clone to come after him. The two rushed off, and jumped away from the scene to go hide elsewhere. 

“Why didn’t you use your Venom on that fly?” the Carapace clone asked Queen Bee.

“Well, someone’s gotta save their powers for the boss fight!” Queen Bee covered her mouth. “Ohmigod, did I really just-”

“Neeeerd!” 

“It’s not funny!” Queen Bee covered her blushing cheeks.

“It totally kinda is,” Rena Rouge had a weird grin on her face.

“Oh, to the hell with this!” Queen Bee gritted her teeth, reaching at her hips in mid-air. As she clutched at the spinning top with one of her hands, she cried out, “Venom!” Quickly, her weapon transformed her hand into a stinger. Even though she was tossed around in mid-air, Queen Bee somehow clumsily reached for one of the fly’s wings and then stung it in its abdomen. 

The fly stopped buzzing, and then it slowly hurled towards the ground. She screamed some more, and as the fly fell, so did Queen Bee. Unfortunately, the fly landed and squashed another Carapace clone. But fortunately, the fly dissipated as well.

Ladybug grinned and rushed over to grab the second Amok. Queen Bee landed onto her feet and immediately lost her balance. As Ladybug caught the blue feather, she looked down at her friend. Something swelled in her chest. 

_ Is this pride? _ She wondered.  _ Yeah, I think that’s what this is. But for Queen Bee--no, for Chloe? Okay, screw it! Chloe’s not as bad as I make her out to be! I need to give her more credit upfront when she does things right!  _

She peered down at her friend and smiled. “Great job, Queen-” Ladybug was caught off by the sound of dry heaving. Her pupils shrunk as they fluttered down towards her feet just in time to watch Queen Bee vomit onto her feet. Ladybug herself gulped back some acid of her own and took a deep breath. She immediately went over into some grass and wiped her feet.

“S-Sorry.” Queen Bee’s face was beet red. 

“Are you okay?” Ladybug asked as she bounced back to Queen Bee’s side.

“I will be,” Queen Bee covered her mouth again and took a deep breath. “But I’m not going on a rollercoaster any time soon.” 

Ladybug’s thoughts turned back to her own failed attempt to fight a fly on her own and cringed. “Yeah, I don’t blame you.” She quickly helped the other woman onto her feet, and slowly stepped away from her. Queen Bee nodded as her eyes glanced over to where she and Ladybug could see a faint blur of blue hair. Still clutching at bile-coated lips, she rushed over in that direction.

Still shaking vomit off of her feet, Ladybug looked over at the foxy heroine. Her narrowed eyes studied the flies above, and she groaned. “How am I supposed to kill those damn things from down here?”

“I have a stupid idea,” Ladybug hopped over. “Do you want my help?”

Rena looked down at her flashing pendant. “I don’t have much time left, so I don’t know if my plan could work.”

“I’ll make sure it works,” Ladybug stretched her hand out. “Okay?” 

Although Rena Rouge hesitated for a moment, she still grasped Ladybug’s hand. Ladybug fastened her arm around Rena’s waist and threw her yo-yo into the air. In a few seconds, they were soaring through the sky towards the mansion.

“What are we doing?” 

“I told you, just trust me,” Ladybug spoke as she eyed their next target. Soon, Ladybug and Rena Rouge were up on the rooftop. 

Rena gripped at her flashing pendant and took a deep breath. “Can you bring one over?”

“Got it!” Ladybug twirled her yo-yo around like a lasso, then whipped it at a nearby fly. Although she missed the first time, Ladybug landed it on the second try. The beeping of the Fox Miraculous ringing in her ear, she threw the fly towards the ground by them. Rena Rouge backflipped over the string to land on a higher point of the roof. She reached behind her for her flute and plunged off of the roof and stuck her weapon out like a sword.

“Haaaaaaaaaaaaah!” Rena Rouge cried out as she fell. Soon, her flute had thrust its way into the fly’s body, and then it was gone with a poof. 

Rena Rouge and Ladybug’s eyes met for a brief moment. Ladybug rushed over, an excited squeal threatening to leak past her lips, but she was greeted with a hand in her face. Rena Rouge pointed down at her rapidly flashing pendant. 

_ Right,  _ Ladybug thought disappointedly. As Rena’s transformation began to end, Ladybug spotted Luka and Chloe in a nearby alleyway. Quickly, she grabbed her friend, the feather, and swung over to their location.

As they landed on the ground, an orange light consumed Rena Rouge, and out burst Alya. The woman fell to her knees panting. “Wow,” she rasped. “That... Was exhilarating. I’ve forgotten how much I missed doing that.”

“I bet you did,” Her eyes flickered over to Luka and Chloe who too, were still catching their breath. The color had returned somewhat to Chloe’s face, but Ladybug noticed there was a tiny garbage pail to her left. 

“Alya, do you have any food?” Luka asked.

“Yeah, one sec,” Alya went into her purse, and whipped out a tiny bag of animal crackers. Quickly tearing off the top of the plastic, she reached into the bag and handed a few of them to Luka and Chloe. “It’s nothing special, but it will do.”

“Thank you,” Luka began as he handed his crackers out to Sass. Then, his eyes widened with a sudden realization. “By the way,” He reached back into the pocket of his jeans, and held it back out to Ladybug. “I managed to take down one with one of the clones. Didn’t get a chance to give this to you.”

The polka-dot clad heroine smiled. “Thank you,” she began as she trapped the two feathers in her yo-yo. Keeping her eyes on her friends, she said, “Thank you for all of your help. Please stay here until you’re all recharged.”

“That’s what your Bug Patrol is for,” Chloe spoke while she fed an animal cracker to Pollen. Both Alya and Luka looked up from feeding their Kwamis to give Chloe a bewildered look. “What? The fandom chose that as our team name.”

Ladybug snorted. “Got it. Well, the leader of the Bug Patrol has to get back to it and make sure the real Carapace is okay. Stay safe guys, all right?” Without waiting for another response, she tossed her yo-yo away from the scene and hopped along with it. 

In a few seconds, she was back in the clearing. Ladybug looked around and caught Carapace in the middle of his fight. He was blocking charging flies with his disc, launching it every few seconds to try to hit the flies. He kept missing, and Ladybug saw another one coming right at him from behind. Since Alya had detransformed, all the Carapace clones had gone away.   
Immediately, Ladybug lunged forward and threw her yo-yo at the fly. After missing her shot, the fly changed its course to instead charge at _her_. The other remaining fly, seeing its fellow behemoth was in danger, came at the superheroes from the opposite direction. 

“Take this!” Carapace cried out before launching his disc. “Shell Shot!”

Almost too perfectly, the disc soared around in a circle and cut both flies in half. As their bodies tumbled towards the ground, they disappeared and out came the final two feathers. Ladybug almost tripped to catch them, but managed to nonetheless. She fell on her bottom, panting. 

“Wow,” She began. “I didn’t know the Turtle Miraculous could do  _ that _ .”

“Well, it’s not like it’s a Miraculous move,” Carapace grinned and struck a pose. “It’s a Lahiffe special.” 

“Got it,” she spoke as she pulled herself up from the ground. “If I knew you had that in you, I would’ve asked you to do that to start with.”

“You know, me too,” Carapace agreed. “That would’ve saved us a ton of time.”

_ Yeah, it really would have... _ Ladybug thought.  _ Usually Viperion would have chosen the option that would have saved time. I wonder why he did that.  _ She looked back over at Carapace. “Hey, are you still-”

“Relax, LB, we’re good,” Carapace cut her off. “As I said before, we’re fine. You had no idea I had a massive thing for you until we met Alya, that I thought Adrien liked you back, and when I was proposing to Alya. The only thing you’ve ever kept a secret about was well,  _ this _ . Frankly, I’d say we’re even."

“Are you sure?” 

“I know I’m sure,” Carapace said. “And don’t worry about Alya. She’ll get over this, I promise.”

“She seemed kind of mad at you earlier too,” Ladybug frowned.

For a moment, she thought she saw a flash of worry run through her old friend. I know it’ll be okay,” he began. “She’s just got a lot of plates spinning right now. Once the wedding’s over and she’s had time to process it all, you’ll be fine.” 

“But does she-”

“ _ Mari _ , it’s all going to be okay.” He stuck out his finger to her. “I pinky promise.”

Ladybug couldn’t help but laugh. “Are we really doing this again?”

Carapace shrugged. “Why the fuck not?” 

Ladybug extended her finger out to meet his. After they shook their hands, Ladybug flung her arms across Carapace’s shoulders. He didn’t stiffen, but instead bent downwards to return the hug. Soon, they let go of one another and giggled together. 

Then, Carapace turned serious again. “So, I’ve been meaning to ask,” he pointed his head back towards the opening. “So you know how that thing’s stuck to the Agreste’s roof?”

“Of course,” Ladybug said. “What about it?”

He kept his eyes level on Ladybug, and he looked unusually serious. “So, I’ve been over to Adrien’s over the years enough to remember what his damn house looks like. So I’m pretty sure where that rafflesia is where a stained glass window used to be. I mean, the rafflesia is centered, like, right there. So like, dontcha think it’s kind of weird that the flower is y’know,  _ there _ ?” He gestured to the mansion itself. “Also like, Gabriel’s dying in the hospital and stuff, and Nathalie and Adrien are right there with him. So why would the villain make this their lair?”

“You have a good point,” Ladybug said. 

“But does that mean anything?” Carapace asked.

“I hope not,” Ladybug said. _ And I hope you’re wrong, Nino. But you also don't know about Hawk Moth and Mayura’s true identities. The very fact that you’re suspicious about it isn’t good. That can only mean that Alya is- _

“Are we late to the party?” Viperion asked as he and Rena Rouge joined them.

“You’re right on time,” Carapace looked towards the opening. “So, adding on to my earlier point, even though the Agrestes shouldn’t be here, I have the feeling something really fucked up is going on in that flower.” 

“Agreed,” Rena looked up. “Something doesn’t feel right here.”

“Well...” Ladybug sighed. “Before we go in, there’s something else I need to tell you.”

“What is it now?” Rena Rouge asked. “The next thing you’re gonna say is that Gabriel Agreste was Hawk Moth or some shit.” When she saw the look on Ladybug’s face, her skin paled. “Wait, really? _He’s_ Hawk Moth?”  
“Are you for real right now?” Queen Bee cried out a little too loudly.

“I wish I wasn’t,” Ladybug spoke bitterly. 

“This doesn’t make any sense!” Queen Bee pulled at her ponytail. “If Miseur Agreste was Hawk Moth, I would have known! I grew up with Adrien, I would’ve picked up on some things! I should have known! I mean, he akumatized me how many times now? Six? So why the  _ fuck _ did I not recognize his voice-” 

“The same reason why none of us knew Marinette was Ladybug,” Viperion interrupted Queen Bee’s rant. “I think there’s some magic residing within the suits themselves.”

“ _ Anyway _ ,” Ladybug cleared her throat, “I don’t know if him dying was his way of toying with me, but I just want you to make sure we are extraordinarily careful.” She coughed in Queen Bee’s general direction, which caused the bee superheroine to blush again. Ladybug then looked back up at the opening and squinted at it. There appeared to be hardly any light inside of the rafflesia, but that didn’t make her not want to go in. 

She swung her yo-yo and launched the device into the hole. When she was sure it was secure enough, Ladybug began the long and harrowing climb to get inside. Everyone else followed suit in silent concentration, moving upwards.

Finally, it had seemed, Ladybug reached the top. As she waited for the rest of her team to join her, she tried to make sense of her surroundings. If she walked two yards forward, she’d be surrounded by total darkness. The stench oddly wasn’t as horrible, and the floor underneath her was grey. A strange sense of deja vu took hold of her for a moment, and she caught her fingers stroking the fabric of her jumpsuit. 

Behind her, a gentle hand landed on her shoulder. “You okay?” 

She forced a nod. “Y-Yeah. I will be. Thanks Viperion.”

The hand began to pat her shoulder before he pulled away. The feeling lingered within Ladybug’s skin as it sang its disappointed dirge. 

“By the way,” he whispered into her ear. “I knew from the start Carapace would win with his disc trick.”

“So then why didn’t you just tell him to do that?” Ladybug asked.

“I had to create a diversion,” Viperion said.

Ladybug’s eyes widened with realization. “Viperion, did you really use your Second Chance to talk to Alya and Chloe-”

He covered her mouth. “Sorry, but for what’s about to come, we need everyone to be okay. And, they will be.”

As his hand moved away, Ladybug was about to speak up once more when she heard the sounds of grunting and shuffled footsteps.  _ I really hope something bad isn’t about to happen, _ she thought.

When everyone was inside the opening, Ladybug sighed in relief. “That was almost too easy,” she feigned casualness.

“What do you mean too easy?” Queen Bee inquired. “We just had to climb up three stories!”

“I think what she meant was that whoever did this let us get up here too easily,” Carapace said. 

Rena Rouge nodded in agreement. “Definitely, it feels off.” 

“I wonder what the supervillain is planning...” Ladybug thought aloud.

“Oh, you and me both, Ladybug,” a bored, monotone voice spoke. 

“Who said that?” Viperion asked firmly.

“Oh my,” the voice spoke again, but this time there lingered a hint of amusement. “I didn’t think you’d actually make it up here. Or bring some friends along. I’m pleasantly surprised.” 

“Who said that?” Carapace repeated Viperion’s question.

“Yeah, get your ass out here!” Rena’s voice shook with rage. “Show your face, coward!”

“Aww, you have a whole entourage to protect you now! How cute.” Soon, a figure crept out of the darkness and made their way into the light. From what Ladybug could tell, the mystery person appeared to be male. His skin was light indigo, and he wore a dark blue suit coat with long sleeves. Feathers appeared to trim the sleeves’ hems, and butterfly-like markings were embroidered on the collar. Around his neck was an ascot that hung both a butterfly-shaped brooch and a peacock-shaped pin. A bowler hat hung on his head, and a few narcissus blossoms were attached to the black ribbon. A black ring rested on his right ring finger. His fingers had long, claw-like nails painted obsidian. His eyes and sclera glowed a piercing red, and a dark purple butterfly-shaped mask hung over his face.

Ladybug narrowed her eyes. “Who are you?” 

“My name?” He laughed sinisterly and sounded like he was on the cusp of madness. “I’m Poubelle,  _ milady _ .” The way he spoke made Ladybug cringe. 

“Poubelle?” Carapace echoed. “You mean, like actual trash?”

“Precisely,” he bowed to the turtle superhero mockingly. “I really wanted to call myself Lord of the Flies, but alas. Copyright laws are a bitch.” He slowly made his way over to the rest of the group. He appeared to be slightly limping. “I also considered Beelzebub, but that’s not original either. So then I thought, ‘Oh wait! I’m human garbage! Why not make sure everyone knows I’m literally trash?’ And it stuck. Thus, how a new supervillain was born.” 

“How fitting,” Queen Bee spoke scornfully. “Considering what you’ve done with those super gross flies and this disgusting flower cave, I’d say that’s spot-on.”

“Whatever,” Ladybug spun her yo-yo. “I don’t really care what your name is, Poubelle, but I want answers. What are you doing?”

“Nothing much,” the mystery man twirled his staff in midair. “I’m just looking for a pair of polka-dot earrings. Oddly enough, yours are the ones I need.”

“Are you sure that’s not violating copyright?” Ladybug spat. “Because I’m pretty sure I’ve heard Hawk Moth or one of his Akumas say that before.” 

“Hawk Moth’s dead,” Poubelle sneered. “And copyright protections and patents are transferable at death, so I’m here to finish what he started.”

“Why?” Rena Rouge shouted. “That’s a dead man’s mission! What would you get out of this?”

“The wish,” Poubelle rolled his eyes. “Duh.”

“Wish?” Viperion looked over at Ladybug. “What the hell is he talking about?”

Poubelle narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t tell them?” He dismissively waved his hand. “How typical, Ladybug. You still never tell anyone your secrets, do you?” 

Ladybug’s hands started shaking as she clenched her fists. “Why do you want to make the wish so badly?” 

“Hmm, let me tell you,” Poubelle leaned forward on his staff and gave her a menacing grin. “No.” He then raised his staff, and fired a lavender blast of energy at Ladybug. 

She narrowly managed to dodge it, and almost fell onto Rena. “Where’s Chat? Did you do anything to him?”

Immediately, Poubelle burst out laughing. “Obviously, I did,” he spoke with a contemptuous smile. “As you can see, I have his ring already.” He rolled up his right sleeve to show off his hand, and sure enough, the black ring was on his finger. 

Tears stung her eyes. “I don’t know if you’ve hurt him, but I will take you down for what you’ve done.” 

“Why?” Suddenly, anger and, oddly enough, hurt flashed in Poubelle’s eyes. “It’s not like he mattered to you anyway.”

“You know nothing about the relationship Chat and I had,” Ladybug seethed as she swung her yo-yo around. “And you seem to know nothing about what kind of man your ‘predecessor’ was, either.”

“Now you’re the one underestimating me,” Poubelle spoke callously. “I know him and you way better than you think,  _ milady _ .”

“Don’t you dare call me that!” she bellowed as she charged and swung her yo-yo at him.

Poubelle narrowly dodged her attack, but swiftly got a hold on her string. He yanked on it, and Ladybug was launched a few feet forward. Her feet slid against the ground, and a burning sensation stung the balls of her feet. Viperion and Carapace rushed forward to grab hold of Ladybug’s arms, and they narrowly caught her from flying out of the hole.

Almost immediately Rena Rouge launched herself at Poubelle. With her flute in her hands, she rose it up in the air to strike him. The villain blocked her attack with his staff and then tried to strike at her with his fan. Rena backflipped, sidestepped a little bit, and then lunged at him once more. But this time, she used her flute as a sword and struck at him. In one swift and graceful maneuver, Poubelle used his staff to block her move while putting his fan back inside his pocket.

Ladybug couldn’t help but be entranced by their fight. After watching Kagami and Adrien fence as children, she could tell when someone had good form. And Poubelle, whoever he may be, did.  _ If Kagami was still around, she’d be all over this,  _ Ladybug thought. 

“Uh, I know we’re supposed to be doing something,” Carapace began. “But this is kind of hot.”

“Y-Y-Yeah,” Ladybug forced out. 

“What are you waiting for?” Rena Rouge called out at Queen Bee. “Do something!” 

The yellow superheroine nodded then rolled behind Poubelle. As he continued to duel Rena Rouge with one hand, using his other he reached behind into his pockets and threw the fan at Queen Bee. It struck her right in the chest. To Ladybug’s relief, while there weren’t any visible cuts or blood marks, the impact from the fan threw Queen Bee right at the wall. He looked away from her, and Ladybug thought she saw him bite his lip.

“Queen Bee-” Rena cried out before she was struck on the head by Poubelle’s staff. 

“Rena!” Carapace cried out. 

_ He’s... Oddly good at fighting a bunch of us, _ Ladybug thought.  _ It’s almost as if he’s fought a bunch of people before. _

“What the fuck are you idiots doing?” Queen Bee coughed as she struggled to sit up. “Do something!” 

Carapace was about to throw his disc into the air before Viperion put a hand on his shoulder. “Dude, Viperion, why-”

“If you throw that, you risk hurting everyone else in here,” the snake superhero pointed out calmly. “Besides, it looks like she’s doing just fine.” 

Ladybug and Carapace both shifted their eyes to focus back on Rena Rouge, who had resumed her swordplay with Poubelle. Despite the knock to the head, it appeared that Rena Rouge had somehow gained the upper hand. She sucked in her lips as she steadied her movements. With each flick of Rena’s wrist, she was slowly able to drive Poubelle towards the light and the opening towards the ground. Ladybug watched Poubelle glance over his shoulder, but wasn’t prepared to see the expression on his face. Despite the eerie grin, Ladybug saw reluctance and boredom in his eyes.

“Wow, you’re really an unworthy opponent,” he replied bitterly. 

“What the hell do you mean?” Rena Rouge spat. “I’m the one who’s winning!”

“Are you sure about that?” Out of nowhere, he stopped spinning his walking stick and sighed. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a fan and yanked three feathers off of it. 

“What are you-” Rena began.

Poubelle pressed the feathers into his skin and watched them tint blue before blowing them away. He immediately sneezed afterward and rubbed his nose with his free hand. With the snap of his fingers, three more flies appeared. While they were smaller than the other ones, they slowly bared their foreboding fangs. 

“It’s no fun when you’re outnumbered, you know.” His slightly shaky voice was monotone again, but Ladybug noticed a strange listless look had entered his eyes.

Soon, they flew right at Rena Rouge. She cried out as one bit into her shoulder. Immediately, Carapace rushed over to her side and flung out his disc as it lodged itself into the crevice of the fly’s neck. Surprisingly, instead of beheading the fly, it dug its teeth deeper into Rena. She cried out and struggled to pull the creature off of her as she inched closer and closer to the hole. With the slip of a foot, Rena lost control of her body and let out a scream as she began her descent to the ground. Immediately, Carapace rushed out and went to dive after her with the fanged flies following not too far behind. 

Poubelle released a cold, empty-hearted laugh as Ladybug’s eyes scorched holes into his back. “Why are you so mad?” he asked as he twirled his staff.

Ladybug looked over at Viperion. “Take care of Queen Bee,” she began. “I’ll handle this.” 

Viperion nodded and rushed behind Ladybug as she spun her yo-yo around.

“Finally,” Poubelle licked his lips. Ladybug hated how sultry it looked, how it made her ears burn. “I have you all to myself.” 

“Sounds fine by me,” Ladybug leered at her opponent. At that moment, the familiar aches from earlier reentered her bones. Gritting her teeth, Ladybug realized she had no choice but to go on the defensive. However, it appeared that Poubelle had the same idea. They sidestepped around the room in a circle, their eyes never leaving one another as they waited for the other to make a move. Their nimble movements while anticipating an attack were like clockwork, and no one dared to move forward.

This went on for what appeared to be an eternity. Eventually, Ladybug yawned, “So when are you going to attack me?”

“Whenever you do,” Poubelle answered as he spun around his staff. “I was raised to be a gentleman, and let the lady  _ bug _ me first.”

“Then why did you hit my friends who are women?” 

“They attacked me first,” Poubelle half-heartedly shrugged. “I had to defend myself, you know.” 

“Which is what I will do when you decide to finally attack me,” Ladybug snapped.

“Oh, I plan to retaliate,” Poubelle said. “But only after you hit me first.”

“You’re really trying to sell this sophisticated villain bit, aren’t you?” Ladybug asked. “Don’t you know that’s kind of demeaning?”

“Not really,” Poubelle answered.

“Just hit me already!”

“Only after you.”

“Not until you hit me!”

“But I will only after you hit me!” 

“Hit me!”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“No!”

“Yes-”

“Oh my God, just fight already!” Queen Bee cried out before clutching at her abdomen once more.

Ladybug gritted her teeth and fired her yo-yo at Poubelle. He dodged and came at her, nearly striking her on the head. Ladybug dove in between his legs in a vain attempt to tie them together, as he escaped her aim and rolled away from her. 

The sequence of events went on for a while like a never-ending refrain. But at long last, something happened. Her yo-yo narrowly missed his head but managed to knock Poubelle’s hat off. Ladybug knew she had been wrong about a lot of things lately, but she didn’t expect this. Egarer’s hair wasn’t blue, but instead, it was a blond ombre that faded into blue. The other jarring detail was the pair of black cat ears that rested on the top of his head. Her heart stopped. Slowly, her eyes trailed down to his right hand. If Chat Noir’s ring was inactive, it would be silver. Instead, it was black with a visible green paw print emblem. 

_ Why is the ring active? _ An inky gleam caught her eye, and she slowly looked up to see a giant black orb in Poubelle’s right hand. Her eyes shrank back and her lips parted open, but no words came out as she dropped her yo-yo.

“Y’know, if Hawk Moth ever knew he could, I don’t understand why he didn’t unify the Miraculouses,” Poubelle spoke with contempt. “He could’ve ended everything a long time ago.” He flashed his palm, and pointed it at Ladybug. “Cataclysm,” He spoke as he released a black sphere of energy right at Ladybug. 


	16. Poubelle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now knowing the true identity behind her new foe, Ladybug and her friends have to decide how to defeat hi,.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies! I'm so sorry this chapter is late. I had part of this chapter prewritten in advance, but I had to rewrite it to fit what I had written. I hope this chapter isn't a letdown or disappoints any of you, but regardless! Please let me know what your thoughts are. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy Chapter 16!

As she was thrown to the ground, Ladybug felt another body fall on top of hers. Slowly, she peeled her eyes open at the sound of someone panting. Sweat dripped down Viperion’s brow as he glanced down, worry reflecting in his eyes. “Sorry,” he began. “I should’ve jumped in sooner.”

She blinked, her eyes listless as her lover pulled her up. 

“Ladybug,” Viperion began. “What’s wrong?”

“Chat,” she hated how her voice quivered. “Poubelle is Chat.”

“How?” Viperion asked, a tinge of doubt entering his voice.

“I-I’m not sure,” Ladybug spoke tongue-tied as she stared at the malevolent figure.

Queen Bee slowly crawled over to the duo, and blood trickled down her chin from her lip. “What are you doing?” she asked weakly.

“Chat is the enemy,” Viperion explained. “He did some unification thing. Not sure what that quite means, but it doesn’t make sense how he can continue making Amoks when he needs to recharge.”

“The Butterfly Miraculous isn’t active,” Ladybug spoke aloud. “He must’ve Akumatized himself.”

“Wait, what?” Queen Bee asked.

“He must’ve used Nooroo’s powers first,” Ladybug rubbed at her temples. “Hawk Moth managed to Akumatize himself once to hide his identity. Chat Noir must’ve figured out how to do it too. Once he summoned the Akuma, Chat stopped using Nooroo and then unified Duusuu and Plagg’s powers. That’s probably why Poubelle doesn’t have a cooldown for the Amoks.”

“Great,” Queen Bee spoke bitterly. “So what are we supposed to do then?”

“We wait,” Ladybug struggled to sound firm. “And we will continue to wait until an opportunity presents itself.”

“And then what?” Queen Bee asked. “Ladybug, with all due respect, you know we can’t afford to keep going on like this! There will be nothing left of Paris if we don’t do anything!”

“I know,” she spoke flatly. “But we don’t need to end this in a fight to the death, either.”  _ And if it’s really Chat under there, he’s hesitating to fight us. I think.  _

“Are you done yet?” Poubelle hissed.

Ladybug looked back over at the supervillain. An unreadable emotion was in his eyes, his shoulders were hunched, and something was making him tremble. Then, when his pupils shrank back, Ladybug could read him better.  _ He doesn’t want to do this, does he? _ she thought.  _ If it’s even just a moment of him doubting himself, this may be my only chance! _

“Chat, is that really you?”

Poubelle flinched at the mention of that name and defensively rose his staff again. “Chat Noir is dead, Ladybug,” he spoke coldly. 

“Lies,” Ladybug’s voice rose as she twirled her yo-yo. “He’s in there, breathing. His spirit is still within you.”

“ _ Lies _ .” Poubelle bared his fangs.

“Then if Chat Noir is dead, then tell me this: why are you going through all this trouble for the wish?” Ladybug asked. "What is worth distorting the world over?"

“My parents,” Poubelle answered back abruptly.

Ladybug’s eyes bulged, and she nearly dropped her spinning yo-yo. "Your what?" 

"My parents," a distant look entered his glassy eyes. "I want them back.”

“What do you mean?” Ladybug asked. “Where are they?”

“They’re dead,” Poubelle’s shoulders dug further into his torso. “And they’re all I had left. So of course I want them back.”

"Chat, I may not know what it's like to lose your parents,” Ladybug began. “But I know that you'll regret making the wish to bring them back!"

His gaze remained unfocused but he moved attention towards the opening. It had begun to rain, and tiny droplets of water had made its way into the rafflesia. "Mother did nothing wrong,” Poubelle began, his voice small and soft. “Father... He made many mistakes as a supervillain, and he hurt all of Paris because of them. While I can't forgive him, he did all of this for my mother. I want to create a world for my parents where they can be happy at any cost. Even if it means giving my life for it."

At that moment, something cracked in the innermost sanctum of Ladybug’s being.  _ He sneezed after he blew the Amok,  _ she thought.  _ His form when he fought Rena was perfect. Of course, it was because he was a fencer for years! And Chat said his dad was Hawk Moth. And that means _ - _ Adrien is Chat Noir. Chat Noir is Adrien. Adrien is Chat Noir. Chat Noir is Adrien. Adrien is Chat, Chat is Adrien, Adrien is Chat, Chat is Adrien.  _

A grand display of fireworks exploded in Ladybug’s head as everything clicked.  _ How did I not realize it sooner?  _

“I’m such a fucking idiot,” Ladybug muttered under her breath. 

Soon, a disc shot up and out, hitting Poubelle- Chat Noir- no,  _ Adrien Agreste _ , square in the chest. While he still retained his form, he cried out and fell to his knees. Carapace shot up the petal and back onto the landing, and Rena Rouge’s arm wrapped on his shoulder as he hauled her up. While both of them looked exhausted, the fighting fire was still present in their eyes. 

“Take that, you fiend!” Carapace shouted. “No one fucks with my girl!” 

“Hear that, weird flower guy?” a patronizing sneer graced Rena’s dirt clad cheeks. “My man is going to kick  _ your  _ sorry, flabby ass!” 

Ladybug’s hands were shaking as she came over her face. A tiny lump grew within her throat and constricted her ability to breathe. She choked as her lungs turned into lead.   
“Ladybug?” Queen Bee’s unsteady hands were on her shoulders. “Hello? What is going on? Why are you clamming up like this? We’re fighting for our lives-” 

“It's him,” Ladybug’s weak voice was barely above a whisper. “His father is Hawk Moth.” With wet cheeks, she looked back up at Queen Bee. “Don’t you see? Adrien... He’s Poubelle.”

“That’s impossible,” Viperion began tersely. “You just said that-” 

“What?” Queen Bee’s voice raised incredulously. “Are you sure Ladybug? I mean, like, I know Adrien may be a lot of things, and he hurt you, but that’s not possible! It’s utterly ridiculously impossible! My little Adrikins would never do this! He isn’t capable of something like this!”

_ That’s what I thought, too, _ Ladybug wiped at her eyes.  _ But then I said those horrible things to him. I must’ve pushed him over the edge. No wonder he’s like this.  _

“So, does that mean Adrien, Chat Noir, and Poubelle are all the same person?” Viperion asked. 

“Yes,” Ladybug spoke in a small voice. 

“Jesus fuck,” Viperion pulled at his hair. “This is a mess.”

“I know, and this is all my fault!” Ladybug wailed.

“So what are you going to do?” 

“I don’t know!” Ladybug’s voice rose to a trill. “I-I don’t even know where to b-b-begin!” Her fingers dug into her scalp as she shuddered hysterically. “I did this to him! It’s all my fault, I-”

Her harangue was interrupted by the impact of Queen Bee’s hand. Ladybug almost fell over from the slap’s force, and already felt a bruise begin to form on her right cheek.

“Girl,” Queen Bee spoke sharply, her voice thick with emotion. “Pull it together. We need to save Adrien and Paris,  _ now _ . Carapace and Rena Rouge can’t fight him off alone, and they keep this up for long.” She gestured to the fox and turtle pair fighting Poubelle. While both sides looked considerably winded, they were evenly matched and kept exchanging blows. Slowly, chunks of the rafflesia’s insides had begun to tear off as a result of the ongoing battle. 

“But how?” Ladybug sounded out. 

Queen Bee took her spinning top and mockingly shouted, “Lucky Charm!” When the spinning top hit her on the head, she rubbed at the spot and made a face at Ladybug. 

Immediately, Ladybug did as Queen Bee said, and soon, what fell into her hands was a photograph. Her eyes frantically darted around the rafflesia, and the only thing that lit up in red-and-black polka dots was Queen Bee.  _ Why is it just her? _ Ladybug thought. She then looked at the picture, and immediately froze up. 

Peering closer at the image, she instantly recognized it for what it was. One day after classes, Alya and Nino had invited Marinette and Adrien on a gelato run. Somehow, despite Chloe being on bad terms with everyone at the time, Adrien managed to convince everyone to have her come along. 

“How is a photograph supposed to help us?” Viperion asked.

“I think I might know,” Ladybug looked over at Queen Bee. “Chloe... I need you to stop using your Miraculous.”

“Are you out of your mind?” Queen Bee cried out. “That is the most utterly ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard you say! I am in pain, and fighting for my life! I give up my transformation, I would be a word meaning less than useless!” 

Viperion’s eyes widened with understanding. “I think what Ladybug means is that Adrien doesn’t need Queen Bee. He needs  _ you _ .” 

“What the hell are you on about?” Queen Bee snapped. 

“The root of the problem isn’t with Poubelle or Chat Noir,” Viperion spoke slowly. “It’s within Adrien himself. And none of us can fix that with masks on.” He looked over at Ladybug and nodded at her. Looking back at Queen Bee, Viperion continued, “So please, Chloe, you know what Adrien needs from you.” 

“This is insane, Viperion!” Her head spun about wildly as she stared at her teammates. “Do you hear what he’s saying? He sounds utterly ridiculous! I can’t save Paris as  _ Chloe _ ! She’s a horrible person! How do you know I- _ she _ can do this?”

“Queen Bee,” Ladybug cleared her phlegmy throat. “You recently told me you wanted to redeem yourself to Paris, right?” She turned her face to stare at the bee-themed superheroine and the giant rafflesia. “This may be your only chance.” 

“But, I can hardly walk!” Queen Bee’s voice shook with panic. “What if my body gives out before I can get to him?”

“My Lucky Charm has never been wrong,” Ladybug said. “I know you must be scared because I am too. But I know you can do this, Chloe. So please, help me save Paris.”

Without another moment to think, Queen Bee took a deep breath as she pulled herself up from the floor. “Pollen,” she began. “Buzz off.” 

Once back in her regular clothes, Chloe briefly lost her balance but managed to get back up. She took a deep breath, coughed, and wobbled forward with newfound determination. Viperion and Ladybug followed behind her closely and raised their weapons into the air. 

Poubelle, who was still blocking Carapace and Rena Rouge’s shots with his spinning staff, stopped for a moment. Even when Carapace’s shield collided against his shoulder, his eyes remained focused on the limping Chloe.

“What the hell are you doing, Bourgeois!” Rena Rouge exclaimed. “Get out of our way!”

The mayor’s daughter did what she did best, and ignored Rena. “Adrien, look.” Chloe limped closer to him, holding her head high as she faced him. “It’s me, Chloe. Your friend.” 

“Don’t get near me!” he bellowed. 

“Oh please,” Chloe waved a shaky hand dismissively. “I know you don’t want to hurt me, or any of us here.” 

“Y-You don’t know that!” Poubelle spat as he blocked another attack from Rena Rouge.

“What the hell is going on?” Carapace shouted over to Ladybug. She ignored him and kept her hand on her yo-yo as she watched Chloe.

“Adrikins... We’ve been friends since we were five years old,” Chloe rolled her eyes as she clenched her fists. “I think after almost two decades of friendship, I should know you pretty well by now.”

“A...Adrikins?” Carapace sounded out as he dropped his disc. “Don’t tell me-”

“You know nothing about me,” Poubelle’s voice rose defensively. “Until today, you didn’t know how much of a monster I am.”

“You, a monster?” Chloe laughed as she wiped her tears away with a clenched hand. “Don’t even go there! And even if you were, d-do you think I’d care?” Her feet stopped moving, and she stood only a yard away from him. She unfolded one of her hands and pressed her palm against her chest. “Adrien, I have done terrible, such horrible things to you and every citizen of Paris! I have deliberately ruined people’s lives, been needlessly petty, and I’ve caused  _ hundreds _ of people to be akumatized. If  _ you _ somehow are a monster, then you’re in great company.” 

“Chloe, I-”

"No,” Chloe shook her head as she rubbed at her eyes. “Stop, stop, stop it! Just l-l-let me support you for once!” She took another bold but uneven step towards him. “You’ve always stood by me when I was at my worst. If you can forgive me for being a total bitch, then I sure as hell can forgive you!”

At that moment, Poubelle didn’t realize his staff had fallen from his fingertips. With some heavy breathing, he managed to lift it back up. Sweat glistened upon his brow, and he stepped backward on his heel and held up his weapon defensively. He gritted his teeth and charged at Chloe. She braced herself for his attack before Ladybug fired her yo-yo in his direction. The wooden circle knocked the staff from out of Poubelle’s hands once more, but this time it fell far, far away. Carapace, too, dropped his weapon and recoiled in horror.

During his continuing panic, Poubelle fired another black blast of energy towards the ground, and slowly everything began to fall. Ladybug threw her yo-yo, wrapped its coil around Chloe, pulled the blond woman towards her, and then rushed out of the flower. Viperion, Carapace, and Rena Rouge followed suit, and they descended to the ground together.   
When Ladybug had landed her feet firmly on the ground, Chloe still clung to her red-suited frame. Her other three companions landed in spots a few feet away from her. Thankfully, they seemed to be safe as well. And then they looked up and saw rubbish and smithereens falling right at them.

“Shell-ter!” Carapace cried out. A giant burst of light came about to envelop everyone in a giant protective green bubble. While the rafflesia remains came down in a torrential downpour, the shield luckily repelled all the pieces away. 

For several more minutes, the team silently endured the garbage storm. At some point, rain trickled down from the sky, and soon everything was under a blanket of murky water. When Carapace let down his shield, he immediately hunched over to catch his breath. Rena Rouge had an arm around him to support him, and Ladybug just stared forward at the sight before her. 

Poubelle’s Cataclysm had made a destructive impression on the Agreste mansion. The window was shattered, and half of the roof was gone. The building’s supportive beams could be seen as if it were a deep cut to the bone. Dust clouds hovered over the rubbish pile from above, making Ladybug barely able to see the struggling hand rising out of the rubble in the distance. 

A trembling arm rose from the debris, and out came Poubelle. Streaks of fresh blood stained his cheeks, and small clumps of wreckage clung to his hair. With a grunt, he sprung out of the remains, and Ladybug heard a loud tear. Half of his coat tail had been torn off, and string from the seam was drenched by the ongoing rainstorm. Poubelle visibly winced as he got on top of a concrete slab and had a dramatic coughing fit. Once he was done, he panted and stared down his opponents. 

Nearby, Carapace shook his head and took a deep breath. His hands hung tensely at his sides, and his disc was at his feet. Behind his mask, his skin had considerably paled, and an odd expression glimmered in his brown eyes. He turned to face Rena Rouge and gave her an empty, forced smile. 

“Babe, what are you doing?” Rena Rouge cried out. “He just tried to kill all of us inside of the-”

“Babe, trust me, it’ll be okay.” Carapace kissed Rena Rouge on the lips before uttering, “Wayzz, shell off.” A few moments later, a bespectacled man stepped out of a flash of green light. He turned his head towards his old friend and took his first step forward.

“N-Nino?” Poubelle’s voice cracked. “You’re one of them, too?” 

“Yeah, forgot to mention my green-shelled persona that’s totally rad,” Nino pulled off his fogged-up glasses. “But I didn’t know you were the leather-clad hunk everyone’s been thirsting over for ages either, so we’re even.”

The supervillain shrank away as Nino got closer to him defensively. “What are you doing?”

“Uh, trying to help you?” He held his hands out at his sides. “What does it look like I’m doing?”

“Why would you do that?” 

Nino cocked an eyebrow. “Because we’re friends?” 

“No, we’re not-”

“Do not do this to me right now,” Nino’s voice faltered for a brief second, but soon enough his calming but confident bravado had returned. “Okay, so you pulled a lot of dick moves. It was pretty fucked up, but now that I know more, it’s making me reconsider some things.”

“Don’t be stupid!” Poubelle cried out. “Forgiving me is a horrible idea!”

“Says who?”

“Says, everyone!” He wiped at his cheek. “What I’ve done... What I’ve become... It shouldn’t surprise any of you! I’m my father’s son, after all! If I ever had any good in me, it’s long gone. It’s too late for me now.”

“Uh, no it’s not,” Nino shook his head. “Yeah, you made some mistakes, big deal! We all do dumb shit, man! It’s a part of life! I appreciate that you want to take accountability, but you can’t keep beating yourself up about these things. You’re never gonna be able to move forward if you keep a foot in the past.”

“You don’t think I’ve tried?” Poubelle asked hoarsely. “I moved to a random fucking town in the middle of nowhere on another continent! I changed my name, I changed my career aspirations! Hell, at one point I even my goddamn hair brown! Nothing I’ve done can save me from the curse of being Adrien Agreste!”

“Maybe being an Agreste isn’t a curse,” a new voice entered the clearing. Ladybug looked up from the injured Chloe and noticed that Viperion had reverted to being her favorite blue-haired boyfriend. “Maybe it’s the opposite.”

“What would you know?”

“Look Adrien, my father’s dead too,” Luka began, “so I know how much it sucks. All I heard from my mom growing up was how much Jules and I looked like him. It was awful, and it felt like I was expected to be just like him. I’ll never be able to see you as a friend, but I understand what you’re feeling right now, and I’d never wish that upon my worst enemy. You’re more than what your Father is.”

“Maybe I am, but does it matter? I still hurt people, just like he has. I can’t be saved-”

“Oh shut the fuck up,” Alya’s voice rang with her hands on her hips. “Agreste, you know better than anyone that Ladybug always saves the day, no matter who it is and whatever messed up shit they’ve done. You’re her partner, she’s not going to just abandon you because you threw a giant temper tantrum and tried to kill all of us.” 

“Alya, that’s a bit harsh,” Ladybug cut in. 

“That’s no different from what you said to him this morning,” she heard Luka whisper from nearby. 

“What?” Alya crossed her arms. “Tell him that I’m wrong then.”

“I can’t,” Ladybug sounded out. “Because it’d be a lie.” __

“ _Why_?” Poubelle’s voice rose to a sharp, uneven trill. “How can you care for me when I’ve hurt so many-”

“Adrien, stop. It’s okay.” Ladybug wore a tiny smile as she walked towards him. “I promise.”

“N-No it’s not!” He guarded his chest with his twitching hands. “I just want to fix all of this, but all I seem to do is make things worse.” He glanced down at his ring and began to fidget with it. “But it’s clear to me that it’s too late now. That’s why I want to make my wish. The world is better off that way."

"I can give you my earrings, but do you really want this?” Ladybug asked gently. She stood right across from him and noticed that he was surrounded by the rest of the group. “Because I don’t think you do.”

“What do you mean? Of course-”

“Because if you do succeed in bringing your parents back at the cost of your own, not only would it mess up the universe, but then they’ll be angry you brought them back.” Ladybug said.

“But-”

She put her damp hands on his shoulders, and Poubelle’s posture stiffened. While he didn’t pull away, he didn’t lean into her either. “And if you do that, they’ll want to bring you back and undo the wish,” Ladybug continued. “Then you’ll come back and want to undo their wish, and then it’ll happen over and over and over again. None of that will help anyone.” 

“Then what am I supposed to do?” His lip puckered out painfully, and weariness filled his wet eyes. 

“I don’t know,” Ladybug admitted. “But, this isn’t something you have to figure out alone, nor do we have to do it all at once.” Although her body hesitated at first, Ladybug’s arms slowly gravitated to wrap around his torso. She felt a shudder within her hold and felt something hot drip down her cheeks and into her scalp. One of her hands wandered back to the top of Poubelle’s head and reached for his hat. She plucked the feather and broke it in half.

As the tiny black butterfly tried to make its escape, Ladybug’s yo-yo swiftly intercepted its flight. A lump grew within her throat, and she choked for a moment as she looked up to the dark grey sky. “Miraculous Ladybug,” she spoke softly. 

She tossed her yo-yo upwards and immediately healing energy was dispersed. In a flash, the mansion had miraculously rebuilt itself, the scars and bruises on Ladybug’s friends were gone, and the wretched smell that she somehow had forgotten about was gone too. While the rain still came down, it slowly began to let up. 

Immediately, as he lost his transformation, Adrien fell over but was immediately caught by Nino and Chloe. He still wore the same sweatpants from earlier but wore a threadbare tank top. His skin was pallid, and exhausted crescents hung under his eyes. His lips broke out in a coughing fit, and more tears stained his cheeks. Chloe’s hands were immediately on his back, patting his shoulders for good measure. 

Ladybug took a deep breath.  _ Finally, it's all over. _

She looked back at Adrien and saw that he was done coughing. His eyes still damp and glassy, but when they began to focus he immediately flinched. “W-What?” Adrien stuttered, his pupils wildly dancing around as he stared at the group. “W-What happened, did-”

“Yeah, your plan failed, idiot,” Chloe affectionately pinched his ear. 

“But-” Adrien’s eyes flew back down to study his soaked tank top. “Why? Why did you stop me?”

“Why wouldn’t we?” Nino asked. “You’re still our friend.” 

“But I lost my shit, and I went too far,” his voice darkened as he glanced down at his ring. “I can’t be Chat Noir anymore. Not when everyone knows who I am.” 

Ladybug glanced over and saw that luckily the fence blocked the media’s inquiring eyes. She sighed in relief and led the group towards a more private area on the property. When she was sure no one else could hear them, she said, “It doesn’t matter anymore, Adrien. Everyone’s revealed their identities to each other.”

“Since when?” his voice cracked. Adrien then reached at his right hand and began to slide his ring off. 

Immediately, Ladybug placed her hand over his. Immediately, she moved her hand away as her face tinted red. 

Adrien’s pupils shrank. “What are you doing, milady? Isn’t this what you wanted?”

“I never,” Ladybug’s voice wavered, “wanted it to be like this, Adrien. If I had known the truth sooner, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.” She stopped and moved her hands away from his. “Why didn’t you say something sooner about your father? I would’ve understood.”

“I just-” he choked. 

“I don’t know where to begin,” Ladybug began. “But we’ve all made mistakes, myself included. You don’t need to forgive me, but I want to work towards forgiving you for my sake of mind.”

“Mistakes?” Adrien echoed. “But... You’ve done nothing wrong, milady.”

She wearily chuckled to herself. “Tikki, spots off.” In a flash, Ladybug lost her transformation to become Marinette again. She sighed, blinked her bluebell eyes, and stared at Adrien. Her heartbeat rang in her ears as she waited for his reaction. 

For better or for worse, he hid his face from her. “Of course it’s you,” his voice was low and almost unreadable. 

“Adrien, I-”

“I know,” he cut her off. “It’s fine.”

“No it’s not,” a ripple trembled through her. “I said some really hurtful things to you.”

“But they weren’t wrong, either.”

“I said those things because I was angry,” Marinette toyed with her earrings. “And I should’ve never said them, and I wish I could take it back.” 

“Do you really mean that?”

To Marinette’s surprise, she caught herself nodding. “I promise.”

He too nodded but didn’t seem entirely convinced. Not that Marinette could blame him, of course. “Are you sure you still want me to hold onto my Miraculous?”

“Do you want to?”

Adrien shook his head. “I don’t think it would be the best idea.”

Marinette nodded, and took a few steps back. Chloe lowered Adrien to the ground and propped him up into a sitting position. He took a deep breath, hands trembling as he clutched at the brooch and pin fastened to his chest. Adrien’s lungs convulsed, and a harsh sound escaped his throat as he tore the jewelry off of his shirt. The items dropped from his shaking grasp and tumbled to the wet pavement. Chloe’s hand gently brushed against his soaked flaxen hair before lowering her fingers downward to collect the Miraculous. Marinette heaved with effort as she got onto her knees to retrieve the items from Chloe. She murmured a thank you to Chloe, which made the other woman look away blushing. 

Finally, Adrien looked away, shuddering as he pulled off his ring. When he held it out to Marinette, she put her hands up. “Why?” he asked as he wiped his face. 

“You don’t have to wear it, or use the powers,” Marinette began. “But I think you should keep it.”

“Why?” Chloe asked, an accusing tone lingering in her words. “You didn’t let me keep the Bee Miraculous all those-”

“Because things are different this time 

Chloe looked taken aback, but reluctantly nodded in agreement. She reached for her phone in the pocket of her now muddied white jeans. Chloe looked down at Adrien, whose eyes looked up at them blankly. She sighed and dialed a number. “H-Hello, can we please have an ambulance?” After a brief pause, Chloe followed up with, “Yes, please over to the Agreste Mansion.” 

After Chloe hung up, Marinette put a friendly hand on her shoulder. “Thanks, Chloe.”

The blond again looked away. “Y-You’re w-w-w-welcome, Ladybug.”

Marinette nodded and looked back over at Luka and Alya who were both huddled together. Judging by the tense expressions on their faces, it appeared to be a serious conversation.  _ I shouldn’t get involved, _ she decided. 

For a while, there was silence. Not that Marinette particularly minded. Nino and Chloe helped carry Adrien to the front of the mansion, and she, Luka, and Alya led the back. Adrien remained quiet aside from the occasional wince or choking sound, and he still appeared to be disassociating. Not that Marinette could blame him, of course. 

Perhaps Marinette had zoned out for a moment herself, but soon she saw red flashes on the horizon. In a quick sequence of events, the ambulance arrived in front of the mansion, and a pair of EMTs jumped out of the car. They gently grabbed Adrien off of Nino and Chloe’s shoulders, and slowly lowered him onto a stretcher. 

As they began to lift him off the ground, Chloe rushed over to the EMT. “W-Wait!” She looked down at her muddied shoes. “Is... it possible for me to jump in the back with you? He doesn’t have any family right now, and I want to be there to support him.”

The man exchanged an apprehensive glance at his colleague before he nodded. As Chloe climbed in after Adrien, the doors began to close behind them. The last thing Marinette saw was Chloe getting onto her knees, and gingerly intertwining her fingers with Adrien’s. Soon, the van was gone, and everyone was left with the rain. 

Somehow, no paparazzi came by to interview Marinette and her friends. Whatever the reason was, she didn’t care. For a few moments, there was peace, and there was quiet. No thoughts came in, and no words were spoken. Marinette knew it wouldn’t last, so she savored every second of it. At some point, Luka’s arms were wrapped around her from behind as they all stared blankly at the boring world before them. 

Finally, Alya spoke up. “Well, this is not how I thought our last night before our wedding would’ve gone.”

“I’m right there with you, babe,” Nino yawned. 

Alya too then yawned, and then groaned. “Damn it, now you got me doing it!” 

Marinette, too, yawned and felt an odd giggle slip past her lips. “This has been a weird day.”

“Why did you forgive him?” Luka asked abruptly. 

Marinette looked up at her boyfriend, his expression mostly unreadable. “Huh?” 

“You made yourself so clear that you wouldn’t,” Luka said. “So what changed?”  
While Marinette was taken aback by Luka’s question, immediately words came flooding out of her mouth. “That’s just what he needed to hear. At least, that much I know.” She paused and yawned again. “I want to believe I said it so the world wouldn’t fall into disarray. But after the recent revelations, I think that’s changed. I still think I said it to save the world, but despite it all, I’d be lying to myself if that wasn’t my sole motivation. After all this time, I think a small part of me still cares about him. Perhaps that part of me always will.”

“Do you think you’ll ever fully forgive him?” Nino asked. 

“I don’t want to say yes, but I don’t want to say no either,” Marinette said. “I’m still taking everything in, so we’ll see.” 

“Understood,” Luka gently put an arm over Marinette’s shoulder. “But don’t feel like you need to do that for him just because he’s Chat Noir.”

“What Luka said,” Nino said. “I’m so confused right now about how I feel, too. I dunno if I meant it either, but-”

“Please, babe,” Alya rolled her eyes. “You’re gonna forgive him. You don’t need to say you didn’t because you’re afraid of my reaction.”

Nino sighed. “Okay, maybe I'm going to. But Mari, you don’t need to just ‘cause I want to.” 

“Then why do you want to?” Marinette asked.

Nino stopped walking for a moment. “Honestly, I dunno. I guess it just... Feels right? But don’t get me wrong, I don’t agree with what he did, but people do a lot of dumb shit when they’re in pain.” He looked over at Marinette and put a hand on her shoulder. “But again, I understand your decision is harder than mine. I bet it’s even more confusing for you, so do what feels right to you. Whatever you decide, I won’t hold it against you, and I’m sure Adrien feels the same way.” Nino wrapped his arm around Alya’s shoulder. “Shit, what time is it now?”

“It’s almost two,” Luka flashed his phone to the others.

“ _ Jesus _ ,” Alya moaned. “This has been the longest day of my life! I just want to sleep.”

“Come back to my place,” Marinette offered. “We can order Chinese take out and binge watch some reality TV.”

“Fuck, yes,” Alya grinned before she yawned once more. 

As the two couples walked away from the fight scene together, only one question remained in Marinette’s mind.  _ Where do we go from here? _

But despite all the questions nagging the back of her mind, there was one thing that remained clear to her. All the answers didn’t have to be found right away, and that everyone would be moving forward together. 


	17. Garbage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The grand finale and the wedding! Some loose ends get wrapped up, some do not. Hope you all enjoy this chapter!

The morning before a wedding is always chaotic, and this one was no different. After thrusting several bags into the trunk of a cab, Marinette stepped in and took a deep breath. _All right,_ she told herself. _It’s just an hour’s drive to the venue. I just have to chill here for a bit and not think about anything else._

She yawned, leaning her head against the cab window, and watched the city disappear. She closed her eyes and released a content sigh. At some point, she must’ve nodded off because her eyes felt oddly sticky when she opened them again. Groaning, Marinette looked back over at the cab’s mirror and saw there was a single smudge of mascara under her eyes. 

_This isn’t going to be the end of the world_ , she thought as she dug into her handbag. She pulled out a tissue and dabbed at her face to get rid of the black splotch. Once she was finished, Marinette stared down at her finely manicured hands and saw the bandages that covered her knuckles. Luckily, Alya and she had an idea to hide the injuries by wrapping ribbons around her hands. The aesthetic even matched the dress-

 _Wait. The Dress. Did I-n_ “Shit!” she cried out. “I forgot my dress!” She buried her head in her hands. _We’re too far down the road to turn back, and if we did I’d be late._ She sighed and quickly dug into her purse to find her phone.

Marinette: hey! 

I forgot my dress at home. 

Can you please grab it for me on your way out? :)

Luka: sure. 

Can chloe let me in?

Marinette: not sure

She wasn’t home when I left this morning. 

One sec

With a few taps, Marinette was able to get through to Chloe. “Hello?”

“Hey, it’s me,” Marinette greeted. “Are you at home? 

“No, I’m still at the hospital,” Chloe answered.

 _Wow, she’s really not left his side at all, huh?_ Marinette thought. “How is he?” 

“Not great,” Chloe answered wearily. “He’s still knocked out on morphine.”

“Oh right,” Marinette trailed off. “Did the doctors say anything else about his injuries?” 

“They’ve already diagnosed him with several vitamin deficiencies,” Chloe said. “Shocking, I know. But they think they found a fracture in his leg, and they’re testing him for other things too.”

Marinette looked back to yesterday and remembered how Poubelle had limped around, and it seemed to have extended to afterward. She cringed. “Makes sense. They want to keep him under observation then.” _Probably didn’t help that he tried to use three Miraculous together to destroy the world, either._

“Yeah, I asked the doctors, and they said he’ll be lucky if he gets out in a week.” Chloe groaned. “Ugh, it’s utterly ridiculous how many injuries that idiot has. He’s lucky his body didn’t give out the moment he transformed back. God, if he were conscious right now, I’d have to knock some sense into him!”

Marinette winced. “I don’t think I’d do that if I were you... But anyway, are you still coming to the wedding?”

“About that...” Chloe took a deep breath. “Nino came by this morning, and I already told him I’m not coming.”

She blinked her eyes rapidly. “Oh.” 

“Well, I can’t just leave him alone,” Chloe spoke curtly. “He needs someone since his stepmom is currently preoccupied with his dad’s upcoming funerary arrangements.”

“But you’re not one of his emergency contacts.”

“Well that’s gonna change the moment he wakes up,” Marinette could visualize Chloe puffing out her chest proudly on the other end. “Because Adrikins is never going to be alone again! I will make sure of that.”

“Thank you, Chloe,” Marinette felt a tiny smile form on her lips. “Adrien’s lucky to have a friend like you.”

“D-Did you just hear what you said?” Chloe stuttered. “You almost make me sound like I’m a-”

“Good friend,” Marinette finished. “Yes, I know Chloe. But I mean it this time. I know that it’s not been easy for you to fight against your old tendencies, but you really came through yesterday for Adrien when he needed you.”

“Only because I’ve had someone teach me what it truly means to be a good friend,” Chloe spoke sheepishly.

Marinette bit back laughter. “I’m surprised you can still say that.” 

“Me too,” Chloe said. “I have the feeling something else happened between you and Adrien, but I rather not know. In fact, please don’t ever tell me, ever. Like, ever, ever. Okay?” 

“Uh, sure,” Marinette spoke awkwardly. _Hopefully, you don’t hate me if Adrien ever tells you what happened._

“Anyway, I think the doctors are calling for me. Maybe that means he’s awake again. Anyway, only one way to find out. I’ll talk to you later Dupain-Cheng.”

“See you, Bourgeois.” With a click, the phone call ended.

Marinette: yeah she’s not there

She’s still with Adrien so you’re gonna need to use the spare key 

Don’t forget its under the doormat ;)

The dress is hanging on the left side of my closet

Luka: sounds good. 

Im omw there now. I should be there about an hour before the ceremony. 

See you there :) 

Marinette sighed in relief. _At least much that I can fix. Better mine to forget than Alya’s._ As she watched the hills roll past her in the countryside, her thoughts flickered back to the events of the previous day. After she and Alya went back to Marinette’s apartment, while they did watch bad television together, it was eerily quiet. While she did mention to Alya she was at Adrien’s, she didn’t tell her about their argument. Not that she currently planned to discuss at length. Aside from her recent conversation with Chloe, Marinette had hardly discussed the incident. Not that she particularly minded, they needed to focus on the wedding. They couldn’t allow yesterday’s events to ruin Alya and Nino’s big day. _Even though yesterday was my fault, I will make it up to Alya and Nino starting today, and every day going forward._

And then there was Adrien. Her eyes instantly welled up, and she reached again for her used tissue. As big globs of tears fell down her face, she tried to blot them with little success. _There goes my makeup,_ Marinette thought surly.

 _But what are_ you _going to do about Adrien?_ a little voice asked. You _hurt him... And everyone’s going to find out what_ you _did._ _You’re_ _just lucky he’s unconscious right now, and that he didn’t say anything after he found out_ you’re _Ladybug._

 _What’s going to happen when Chloe inevitably pulls the truth out of him?_ she wondered. _Adrien may be out of it, but he’s going to hate me once he’s fully conscious, and he should. He has every right to. Only Luka knows about the argument, and it seemed like he was holding back his true thoughts. I’m sure I’ll hear about it more once the wedding’s over. As for Nino and Alya... God. If Nino ever found out, he’d never talk to me again, and Alya- Okay, Alya would probably still talk to me, and tell me I was in the right and that all men besides Nino and Luka are trash, but... Ugh, this is a mess._

 _Adrien, if you’re trash, I’m a giant dumpster fire._ Marinette thought. She slapped at her moist cheeks. _Keep it together for today,_ she thought as she struggled to stop crying. _Today’s not about that. Today is about Alya and Nino’s love, and how they’re going to finally be married. Don’t make this about you. Don’t bring it up, and don’t talk about it unless anyone decides to._

After a few minutes of steadying her breathing, Marinette looked out the window and saw the cab arrived at the chateau. It stood tall and magnificent pasted together with white brick and concrete--a radiant sight to behold. The building was placed in between two luscious grassy knolls, and a perhaps overly grandiose water fountain in front of it. 

_I don’t remember how much Alya said they were paying for this, and I don’t want to know_ . Looking back down into her bag, Marinette pulled out her compact and saw how bad her makeup looked. She shook her head. _Oh well, I need to reapply it anyway._

As she went back to her cab and pulled open the trunk, she noticed a familiar lean figure. He stared down at his nervously tapping feet and appeared to be finishing a phone call. Once he was done, Marinette’s face lit up. 

“Hey, Nino!” she cried out.

The bespectacled man jumped and turned his head to face her. “A-Ah Mari! When did you get here?”

“Just now,” she answered. 

Nino looked at the contents of the trunk and blinked his eyes. “Uh, do you need help with that?

Marinette uneasily looked at the stacked contents of the trunk. “M-Maybe... But shouldn’t you be-”

“It’s fine,” Nino laughed nervously. “I need to give my hands something to do, anyway.” 

She looked around and noticed his clenched hands. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he spoke through grit teeth and forced a smile. “I’m stellar, dude.”

“Really? Because you look like-”

“I’m about to shit myself?” Nino finished for her. 

“Yeah, that.” Marinette further inspected his appearance and noticed he was still in his street clothes. “Shouldn’t you be getting ready?”

“Probably,” Nino pulled out a bag. “But I just needed some fresh air.”

She grabbed some more items out of the car. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m all right.” Nino rubbed at his elbow for a moment before diving in for another bag. “Nervous as fuck, but in a good way. I just didn’t think I’d be _this_ anxious.”

“Are you going to be okay?”

“Yeah, I think I will be once I put my ring on.” A pure, warm smile grew on Nino’s face, and it made Marinette’s heart flutter. 

_Alya’s so lucky to have a guy like Nino,_ she thought. _Just as he’s just as lucky to have her._

“Hey, I kinda know that this is the last thing I should ask ya right now, but I gotta ask.” Nino set down the remainder of the bags. “But are _you_ okay, Mari? Your eyes are red.” 

“Nino, this is your day, not mine,” Marinette bopped his nose. “I’ll be okay. Stop worrying about me.”

He then smiled at her cheekily. “Whatever you say, _milady_.” 

Marinette gasped as her eyes wandered around the premises. Luckily, aside from the cab driver in the car, there was no one outside or plain insight. “Really?”

“Sorry,” Nino scratched at the back of his head. “Would you prefer _bugaboo_?” 

She rolled her eyes. “Only one person can call me those annoying nicknames.”

Nino’s lip puckered out. “Come on, am I not allowed to?”

“Absolutely not.”

His pout deepened. “Not even on my wedding day?”

“Should you really be calling _me_ weird nicknames, and not your soon-to-be wife?”

Nino’s face paled. “I-I guess you have a point,” he quickly recovered and added, “but when Alya and I get back from our honeymoon, prepare for the biggest interrogation of your life.” 

“Don’t worry,” Marinette said. “I’ve been practicing my interview for Madame Cesaire-Lahiffe for _years_. I got this.”

Nino nodded, but still looked concerned. “But seriously, are you gonna be all right?”

“I will be,” Marinette let her fake smile grow. _I hope._

“Well, I’m glad to hear it,” he patted her head. 

Even with his bad posture, Marinette had forgotten that Nino had been towering over her for the last five years. As she stared at him, she remembered just how _old_ they were. A lump grew in her throat again, and she laughed it all off. “God, I can’t believe this is actually happening.”  
“You and me both,” he smiled wistfully. “Anyway, Marinette. I have one request to make of you for today, all right? Can you do that for me?”

“I’m not switching to be your Best Woman, Nino. Alya would kill both of us.”

“That wasn’t it at all,” Nino’s tone turned serious and he placed his hands on Marinette’s shoulders. “Look, a lot of fucked up shit happened this week. I’m sure you’re processing it, and that’s okay. It’s okay to be upset about that, but don’t let what happened yesterday ruin all the fun you’re gonna have tonight. Even if it’s hard, try to be happy. Not for me, or Alya, but for _you_ , Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

She felt her eyes moisten. “N-Nino!” 

“Oh come on, Mari! Save your tears for the actual ceremony, okay?” He laughed as he patted her on the back. “It’ll be all right, I promise. We’ll all get through this together, okay?” 

After taking a few moments to recollect herself, she nodded. “Do you know where I should be going?”

“Yeah, the bridal suite is upstairs,” Nino said. “One sec, I’ll grab Chris and he can help us with the rest.”

“Sounds good,” Marinette heaved with effort as she began carrying Alya’s belongings inside. The main lobby was ginormous and spacious. A quirky crystal chandelier hung above checkered marble tile, and the stairs were stained ebony. The walls were cream, and contemporary artwork that _definitely_ didn’t suit the architecture hung in between the windows. Some paintings depicted European artists in the last fifty years, some were of old band posters. She even thought she saw a few Jagged Stone posters hanging. 

Marinette smirked. _Nice_. As she hauled the bags up the stairs, she stared upward and found someone familiar. Like her older sisters and twin, Etta had a dark complexion. Her warm peach bridesmaid dress looked great on her skin. Her dark hair was coiled back into a bun, and her dark eyes lit up as she saw Marinette.

“Mari!” the girl cried out as she rushed to hug her. Too shocked from the hug, Marinette dropped some of the bags. 

“Ease it up there, Etta,” Nino smirked as he put the bags down. “Your dad’s already gonna have a heart attack today.”

“Right,” Etta looked at her feet, and Marinette noticed how the nail polish matched her dress.

“You’ve dressed already?” Marinette asked.

Etta giggled. “Couldn’t help it! Everyone kept getting Ella and I confused, so I changed.”

Marinette smiled. “You look great.”

“I know,” Etta’s eyes narrowed mischievously as she looked at Nino. “But the sight of Alya is gonna kill _him_.”

“Fantastic,” Nino gave her a thumbs up. “I already wrote up my will.” 

“Maybe that’s the point, so she can rob you on your grave.” Marinette joked.

“Sounds like her,” Nino smirked. 

Etta looked at the bags. “Is that everything?” 

“No,” came a voice. The older Chris got, the more he resembled his older brother. He put down the remainder of the bags, and he adjusted his yellow lenses accordingly. “Jesus, Nino, did you know you were marrying someone with a lot of baggage?”

“Yeah, but that’s okay,” Nino clapped his brother on the back. “‘Cause I got mine, too.”

Chris blinked. “I don’t get it.” 

“Give it another five years, dude.” Nino was still taller than Chris, and it gave him the perfect opportunity to mess with Chris’ hair. 

Chris scowled and moved away from him. “Do you have everything, Marinette?”

“Not everything,” Marinette bit her lip. “Luka has my dress since I forgot it at home.”

Nino shook his head and clapped sarcastically. “Never change, Mari.”

She rolled her eyes. “Anyway, Etta and I can carry the rest of this in. You two go do...whatever you’re supposed to be doing.” 

Almost in sync, Nino and Chris did finger guns at the women. Slowly, they eerily looked back at each other, and immediately looked away. Nino swiftly nodded, and without another word, jerked Chris along down the hall by the wrist.

“H-Hey!” Chris protested.

“See you later Mari!” Nino’s voice cracked on the last word, and Marinette giggled.

“Wow, he’s really nervous, huh?” Etta asked, rubbing at her lip thoughtfully. “Is he gonna be okay?”

“Yeah,” Marinette smiled. “He will be.” Turning her back to the door, she pulled up more of the bags and thrust forward into the room. Chaos was erupting everywhere, and all around them were make-up bags, wadded up clothes, and unzipped garment bags. Both Alya and Nino’s moms were laughing together in a corner, already dressed in their coordinating outfits. The woman of the hour sat in front of a mirror as Ella assisted her with her makeup. Ella, of course, immediately noticed Marinette and Etta had returned and stuck out her tongue at them. Etta, of course, made a weird, creepy face to retaliate. Marinette laughed uneasily. _Is that what it’s like to have siblings?_

Nora, too, noticed Marinette’s arrival. “Oh shoot!” she cried out. Nora’s muscles were still as bulging as ever as she raced over to grab a bag from Etta. After putting the bag down, the three of them went out to pull in the remaining belongings. When they were finished, Nora immediately picked up Marinette and spun her around in a constricting bear hug. 

After Nora put her down, Marinette took a moment of silence for her crushed rib cage and struggled to breathe again. After her chest miraculously stopped hurting, out of the corner of her eye she saw Alya go over towards her dress bag. Marinette smiled. _It was time._

After her friend was undressed, everyone threw the white garment over Alya’s head. At some point, Marinette thought she heard her phone go off. She ignored the buzzing as she focused on zipping up the back of the dress. When they were done, Alya was guided over to a floor-length mirror. Immediately, her hands shot up to cover her mouth. At first, Marinette thought it was someone else’s sob she had heard, but the expression in Alya’s watery eyes told it all. 

“Oh my God,” she choked.

Out of the corner of her tear-filled vision, Marinette saw Alya’s mom sniffling. 

“Sis, don’t cry,” Ella lightly jabbed Alya in the side.

“Shut up,” she wiped at her eyes. She began fanning at her reflection and moaned. “Ugh, I’m not even at the aisle yet and I’m already crying.”

“Nino cried earlier,” Etta smirked.

“Really?” Doubt coated Alya’s throat, but it seemed to momentarily distract her. 

Trying to contain her own heavy emotions, Marinette walked over to check her messages. As she read her screen, she couldn’t fight back a smile. 

Luka: im here

_I knew I could count on him._ She looked over at Alya, who was helping Nora change into her dress, and said, “I’ll be back.”

Alya gave her a thumbs-up, and Marinette zipped out the door. She scurried down the stairs and scanned the premises for any traces of her lover. Soon, something tapped her shoulder, and Marinette spun around. 

Immediately, her throat dried up as her cheeks grew ruddy. Marinette knew that Luka cleaned up nicely, but she wasn’t expecting this. His hair was half slicked back, half down. He wore a dark grey suit and a peace-colored tie that coordinated perfectly with Marinette’s dress. 

And was _that_ cologne? Heat seared through every bit of Marinette’s body. _He came to win today,_ she thought. _Wait, no! Marinette, this isn’t the time to be fantasizing about your boyfriend! You need to help Alya!_

Luka smirked, and whispered into her ear, “Here,” as he handed her the garment bag. 

“Thank you for grabbing that for me,” Marinette said. “I can’t believe I left that at the apartment.”

“No worries,” Luka smiled, but it seemed strained. “You know I’m always happy to help.” 

“I like your suit,” Marinette’s fingers brushed against the grey. “And your tie.”

“Thanks, I wonder who picked it out for me,” he chuckled, but it sounded fake. Then, his face turned somber. “Any updates from Chloe?”

“She said that he’s stable,” Marinette frowned. “But recovery will take some time. The effects of using all those Miraculous did a number on him.”

“Hey,” Luka put his hands on her shoulders. “Don’t feel sad for him. He chose to turn into Poubelle, and try to ruin the world. It’s not-”  
“Stop,” Marinette’s lip trembled. “It’d be lying if you said it wasn’t my fault. You know what I said to him.”

“We shouldn’t talk about this here, but I do want to say one thing.” Luka breathed in and adjusted his tie. “My feelings towards yesterday are... Complicated at best, and I’m not sure how best to articulate them. But, I want you to know that I’m working towards processing, accepting, and moving forward from it.” 

Marinette glanced down at the stone tile. “So does that mean-”

Immediately, a pair of arms were flung around her. “Not at all.” 

“I don’t understand,” she thoughtfully frowned. “I thought you were disgusted by me.”

“I was,” Luka brushed away her stray hairs. “But it doesn’t mean I’m disgusted by you as a person. There’s a difference.” He must’ve noticed that she still wasn’t convinced because he went into her ear and playfully nibbled on her ear lobe. Marinette’s cheeks flushed scarlet, and she immediately pulled away from him. “So,” Luka leaned into Marinette’s ear. “What will you do now?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, the wedding’s about to start,” he began. “And the Miracle Box is finally complete again, right? So that means you’ll be freer.” 

“I guess you’re right,” Marinette scratched at her lip suspiciously. “Where are you going with this?” 

“Marinette, I,” Luka broke out into a smile. “Over these past few days, a lot has happened. I had some doubts, but I finally feel like I fully know you.”

“A huh,” Marinette nodded. _Where’s he going with this?_

“It’s been something I’ve thought about for some time now, but after everything that’s happened, I think I’m finally ready. I know this isn’t the best time, but I can’t hold back any longer.” He gently put her hands into his. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

Marinette’s heart rocket launched itself into her throat. “Y-Yes?”

“Will you-”

“Y-Yes!” Marinette exclaimed. “A thousand times yes! I’d be happy to be with you, no matter where we go, and what we do!”

“I was going to ask you if you’d like to move in with me?” Luka asked, his eyes still shining with infinite love and devotion. 

“Oh,” she thought aloud, immediately freezing up. “I mean y-yeah, I’d still be happy to-”

“You sound unsure,” Luka spoke softly.  
“No, I still very much want to move in with you!” Marinette began to flail her arms around sporadically. “It’s just... I’m surprised after... Never mind, I also thought you’d be asking something else.”

Luka’s head cocked to the side. “What did you think I was going to do?”

Marinette’s fingers rose to her hair as she tilted her face away from his. “N-Nothing.”

“Oh,” Luka’s cheeks slightly reddened. “Well, that’ll come in due time, but right now, let’s focus on the first step forward.” 

Before she could speak another word, a face peaked out of a door. “Marinette,” Nora began. “You really should finish getting ready.” 

Bashfully, Marinette squeaked out an “S-Sorry!”

“One last thing,” Luka began as Marinette walked away.

She looked over her shoulder. “Yeah?”

He walked up to lean in to whisper, “You look beautiful.” 

Her face heated up. “I’m not even in the-”

“I know,” he smirked. “But you will be even more so.” He kissed her on the cheek and then walked away, whistling their melody. 

_Why does he have to be so suave_ , Marinette pouted. “I wish I could hate him.”

“You know you love him,” Tikki appeared next to her.

“I guess.” Marinette looked and saw no one else was around. Sighing in relief, she said, “Luka’s different today. And I don’t think it’s because of the suit.”

“He sure is, Marinette,” Tikki grinned. “I wonder what that means for your future.” 

“Hopefully nothing but good things.” She spun around to face the door. When she went back into the room, Marinette saw that the remainder of the sisters had finished getting dressed. With a sudden realization, Marinette began to feel self-conscious and immediately unzipped her bag. Flinging off her clothes, she carefully stepped into her dress and made sure to adjust everything properly. 

“Hey, Ella, can you zip me?” Marinette asked. Ella, who had free hands, rushed over and quickly pulled up the dress’ zipper. Marinette affectionately patted the younger girl on the shoulder, the gesture making the other girl blush for some reason. Marinette shrugged, then dug into her makeup bag. 

After hurriedly reapplying her makeup, out of the corner of her eye, Marinette watched Alya stand up. “Hey, can I have a moment alone with my maid of honor?” 

Before Ella and Etta could protest, Nora nodded and scooted the younger two girls out of the room. As the door shut with a thud, Marinette felt the temperature shoot up by ten degrees in the room. Alya, who fidgeted with her headpiece, took a deep breath. “Can you grab my garter for me?”

Marinette quickly eyed the lacy garment and walked across the room to pick it up. As her fingers grazed against the satin, she felt it gently slip out of her sweaty grasp. Deciding to clinch it with two hands, she made her way back to Alya. The other woman situated herself as she sat down into a chair, then flung up her skirt. 

She took a deep breath and looked back at her best friend. “Do you still want me to put it on?” Alya nodded, her eyes focusing on something far away from them. Marinette got onto her knees and gripped the garter as she slowly hiked it up Alya’s left thigh. While her friend had lovely, hairless skin, Marinette saw how it was already stained with sweat. 

When she had it high enough, Marinette asked, “Is this good?”

“Yeah,” Alya spoke quietly. “This is fine.”

“So, are you good to go?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Marinette turned her attention to what Alya was staring at. The window she had been facing gave her the perfect view of the venue. People had already begun to gather in the clearing. The perfect canopy of trees hung above them, and the sun shone down brightly on them. 

“You have perfect weather for today,” Marinette began. “That’s a good omen.”

“Yeah, I think so too.” Looking back from the window, Alya made intense eye contact with her. Something, an emotion Marinette couldn’t quite read, was reflected in her hazel eyes. “I can’t believe I’m getting married today,” Alya spoke slowly. “And I still can’t believe you’re motherfucking Ladybug.”

Marinette laughed awkwardly. “Yeah, that’s me.”

“I don’t know what to think right now.” Alya stared at the window, watching the people gathering in the greenery. “I have so much I want to say, and so much I don’t know if I’m better off remaining clueless. Hell, I don’t know if I should still be mad at you.”

“I wouldn’t blame you if you were,” Marinette bit at her lip.

“But it makes sense,” Alya stretched her arms. “Like, you can be unconfident sometimes, but it just stops when you become her, y’know? And you also just give everything for everyone, regardless of whether or not you’re wearing a mask. And it does explain why you looked so much like Ladybug for the Clara Nightengale music video.” She shook her head. “It just explains everything. Like, why you’re always late, but I think after not being her for the last few years that’s just a 'you' trait-”

“Alya, I’m-”

“Yeah, I know,” Alya finished. She stretched, walked over to a table, grabbed the peach ribbon, and began helping Marinette wrap them around her bandages. “But you know what? Why the fuck are we talking about this now? Let’s not dampen one of the most important moments of my life with this. Because in the end, it doesn’t matter who you are, or what you were. You’re just here with me, and even though I’m confused, it’s enough.”

Again, tears pricked Marinette’s eyes, and she couldn’t hold back her feelings anymore. “A-A-Alya,” she gasped. 

“Damn it, Mari, don’t you start c-crying,” Alya fought back tears through laughter. 

Within seconds, the women were sobbing together in each others’ arms. For an unknown period, they cried together, no other words spoken, just the sounds of their blubbering. 

Eventually, silence filled the air and they let go of each other. “Ah fuck,” Alya wiped at her eyes. “See? I told you not to cry, Marinette. Now we have to redo our makeup.”

“A shame,” Marinette cleared her throat. 

“You really should finish getting ready, _Buginette_ ,”

Marinette sighed as she rushed to finish applying several layers of waterproof mascara. “Can you not? Nino was already doing that to me today.”

Alya roared with laughter. “Was he?” Soon, a content smile graced her magenta-painted lips. “Okay, I’m _so_ ready to marry that man.” 

“Is that really the only reason?” Marinette teased.

“Well, no,” Alya raised her voice. “But I wouldn’t be lying that it made me more excited to marry him.” With a smile stretching from ear-to-ear, she hiked up her skirts and twirled out of her chair. Genuine laughter escaped from her lips, making Marinette’s heart swell up to three sizes. 

“Are you ready?” 

Alya nodded, and after a few hurried minutes of throwing together the bouquets and getting the remaining bridesmaids together, they were off down the stairs. 

Immediately, the ladies found the side of the chateau they were supposed to come down on. Alya’s dad had found them, and the bridal party talked among themselves in hushed whispers. 

Soon, the sound of violins began to play Pachelbel’s Canon in D, and immediately Marinette teared up, _again_. She sighed as she fanned her face. _This really needs to stop._ Ella went first, leading the procession, and then one of Nino’s groomsmen followed suit. Then Etta, then another groomsman. Then Nora, and another groomsman. 

Then, it was Marinette’s turn. As she made her way onto the greenery, she felt the heat of over a hundred pairs of eyes on her. _Don’t trip or cry, don’t trip or cry!_ she told herself. 

Somehow, despite some of the skirt fabric getting trapped around her heel, Marinette managed to get to the end. She caught Nino staring, and gave him an encouraging smile. The man gave her the smallest of nods and tried to remain still as he anxiously waited for his bride. 

At some point, Chris walked up to the altar, rings in his hands, and held them out to Nino. The two exchanged a brotherly embrace, and Chris went to stand across from Marinette. 

Then, everyone stood up. Alya came about in her white bridal glory and father in hand. She walked confidently up the aisle, and her eyes widened as she saw Nino. The groom looked like he was about to burst into tears himself, but his eyes shone with deep, unyielding love. That gesture alone made Marinette cry herself, _again_.

“Here today we are gathered to celebrate the love and union of Alya Cesaire and Nino Lahiffe,” the minister began.

As the minister gave his speech about love and unions, Marinette’s eyes were glued on her friends. The tender, loving look Alya and Nino exchanged with one another was priceless. 

“Love conquers all things, let us too surrender to the idea of love.” 

_Of course,_ Marinette realized. _I should’ve known_. As she looked at Nino and Alya, she recalled all the silly spats they had over the years, and all the times Alya came at Marinette to complain about him. She too, of course, remembered all the times Nino came to her for advice about Alya. 

_It’s love,_ Marinette thought. That’s all we need. She caught Luka staring at her in a dreamy daze, and she thought of Chloe and Adrien in the hospital together. _That’s what can fix this. That’s what might lead us all towards forgiveness. Love._

 _Maybe it won’t be okay now,_ Marinette thought. _And it won’t be okay tomorrow either, or next week, or maybe even next year. But... If we truly want to move past this and see if it's worth having each other back in our lives, then it’s worth it._

Forgiveness was a hard road to walk, and it was hard to earn. And while nothing would be the same again, perhaps it could be bad, perhaps it could be good. It just depended on whatever the other person wanted. While Marinette wasn’t sure what she wanted to get out of forgiving Adrien, she could only hope that he felt the same. _I don’t deserve it, but I can do my best to at least make myself feel better about this incident and move on._

But as Marinette watched Alya and Nino share their first kiss as husband and wife, she knew one thing: it never meant that she couldn’t try. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I can’t believe A Bouquet of Garbage is finished. To be honest, I’m in shock that I actually did this.  
> First of all, I want to give a special shoutout to all of my readers. For those who have been with me from the start and have seen this until the end, thank you. For any of you who’ve joined us later in the journey, thank you. And for those of you who may find this someday 2+ years after this, thank you. I honestly couldn’t do it without any of you. 
> 
> I also need to thank my countless friends who’ve had to listen to me babble about this for the past four months. Niki, Becca, Gina, and the rest of all of you, thank you for listening to my ramblings, especially if you know absolutely nothing about Miraculous Ladybug. 
> 
> Finally, I also must take a side note to thank my friend DJ who has been my unofficial editor for this project. While I didn’t ask for her help as much until the last few chapters, she has been there since the beginning helping and motivating me to write this. I appreciate her friendship and that we’ve become closer as a result of this partnership, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds going forward.
> 
> To say that this has been an incredible and transformative journey for me has been an understatement. While to some of you this is just a fanfic, to me it’s so much more than that. I’m almost 25 years old, and until today, I’ve never finished a writing project. I’ve been writing since I was 5, and in those 20 years, I’ve never finished anything. Over the years, I’ve had several ideas as to why, but nothing’s been definitive. Now, I see it mostly can be boiled down to a) wondering if people are actually interested in my stories, b) overthinking story elements, and c) an overwhelming of perfectionism. As a result, all the stories I write have either frequently been abandoned or reworked. 
> 
> So, for me to actually finish a chapter a week, let alone finish a 70k+ word story in less than 4 months, is truly miraculous. It was incredibly challenging, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I honestly wouldn’t have been able to have done it without the comments and support of my readers and friends. I can’t say thank you enough, but thank you from the bottom of my heart. You all have truly changed everything for me for the better. 
> 
> That being said, I know I still have a ways to go. I’ve experimented with many different medias and forms of writing, and I’ve never felt like I had my own style. ABoG has certainly assisted with defining it, but I’m not there yet. At the very least, I know what my strengths and weaknesses are as a writer, and what to work on going forward. I have many more writing goals I intend to meet someday, but I will take it one step at a time.  
> Originally, when I started writing this, I intended this to be a stand-alone story. But after giving it some thought, I’ve changed my mind. I had some ideas as I wrote ABoG, but didn’t want to give them attention until (if) I finished this. Now, I definitely want to write more with these characters, and eventually return. 
> 
> I’m currently unsure what that will exactly entail, nor can I guarantee when it will happen. I do need to take a break from writing this story, and it could be several months before I come back to it. NaNo starts in less than a week, and I want to work on my original story concepts. After that, the path forward to me remains unclear.  
> Anyway, thank you for reading A Bouquet of Garbage and for making this a worth-while journey. I will see you soon my lovelies! 
> 
> ~Fae
> 
> EDIT: February 21st, 2021: Hey y'all! Fae is still alive and (mostly) well. My COVID recovery has unfortunately taken away the majority of my energy that I'd use for writing, so that's been swell.
> 
> I did want to drop this fantastic animatic my lovely friend Rivkah94 made for me! It is also animated to the song that inspired all 80k words of this. Please look here if interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJrNRpA_Qtg.


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